Single Idea 18611

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 1. Concepts / a. Nature of concepts]

Full Idea

The notion of 'concept' ought to be eliminated from the theoretical vocabulary of psychology, and replaced by the notions of prototype, exemplar, and theory.

Gist of Idea

We should abandon 'concept', and just use 'prototype', 'exemplar' and 'theory'

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 8)

Book Reference

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.220


A Reaction

Machery's main thesis. I think similarly about 'property' in metaphysics. It embraces different ideas, and if we eliminated 'property' (and used predicate, class, fundamental power, complex power) we would do better. Psychologists have dropped 'memory'.