Single Idea 18596

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / d. Concepts as prototypes]

Full Idea

We are typically not told how prototypes are selected, that is, what determines whether a specific prototype is retrieved from memory in order to be involved in the categorisation process.

Gist of Idea

Prototype theorists don't tell us how we select the appropriate prototype

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 4.2.4)

Book Reference

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.91


A Reaction

One of the aims of this database is to make people aware of ideas that people have already thought of. This one was spotted 2,400 years ago. It's the Third Man problem. How do you even start to think about a particular thing?

Related Idea

Idea 217 Nothing can be like an absolute idea, because a third idea intervenes to make them alike (leading to a regress) [Plato]