Single Idea 18578

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / a. Conceptual structure]

Full Idea

Since the rejection of the classical theory of concepts (that they are definitions), three paradigms have successively emerged in the psychology of concepts: the prototype paradigm, the exemplar paradigm, and the theory paradigm.

Gist of Idea

Concepts as definitions was rejected, and concepts as prototypes, exemplars or theories proposed

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 4)

Book Reference

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.76


A Reaction

I am becoming a fan of the 'theory theory' proposal, because the concepts centre around what explains the phenomenon, which fits my explanatory account of essentialism. Not that it's right because it agrees with me, of course.....