Single Idea 18566

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

Full Idea

We ought to reserve the term 'concept' for the bodies of knowledge in working memory, and not for our knowledge of long-term memory, because the former, and not the latter, 'control behaviour'.

Gist of Idea

Concepts should contain working memory, not long-term, because they control behaviour

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 1.4.1)

Book Reference

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.24


A Reaction

[He cites the psychologist Barsalou 1993] Some more theoretical concepts can only be recalled with difficulty, and control our theorising rather than our behaviour. But we act on some theories, so there is no clear borderline.