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Single Idea 17986

[from 'The Big Book of Concepts' by Gregory L. Murphy, in 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / d. Concepts as prototypes ]

Full Idea

My proposal is that people attempt to form prototypes as part of a larger knowledge structure when they learn concepts.

Gist of Idea

Learning concepts is forming prototypes with a knowledge structure

Source

Gregory L. Murphy (The Big Book of Concepts [2004], Ch.13)

Book Reference

Murphy,Gregory L.: 'The Big Book of Concepts' [MIT 2004], p.492


A Reaction

This combines theory theory (knowledge) with the prototype view, and sounds rather persuasive. The formation of prototypes fits with the explanatory account of essentialism I am defending. He later calls prototype formation 'abstraction' (494).