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Related Concept Videos

Concepts and Prototypes01:24

Concepts and Prototypes

The human nervous system handles vast amounts of information by translating sensory stimuli into neural impulses, which the brain processes, creating thoughts expressed through language or stored as memories. The brain also synthesizes information from emotions and memories, which significantly influence thoughts and behaviors. This intricate process creates a comprehensive mental picture.
The brain organizes this information using concepts, which are mental categories grouping linguistic data,...
Natural and Artificial Concepts01:24

Natural and Artificial Concepts

In psychology, concepts can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial. Natural concepts are formed through direct or indirect experiences. For example, consider the concept of snow. If you live in a place with regular snowfall, such as Essex Junction, Vermont, you know snow through direct experiences. You’ve seen it fall, touched it, shoveled it, and played in it. You recognize its texture, appearance, and even its smell. In contrast, if you live on an island like Saint Vincent in...
Drug Elimination: The Concept of Clearance01:06

Drug Elimination: The Concept of Clearance

Drug elimination refers to removing drugs from the body, either through urine by the kidneys or through bile by the liver. Drug clearance is a pharmacokinetic parameter that measures the efficiency of drug removal from the bloodstream within a specific time frame. It is calculated as the rate at which a drug is eliminated from plasma divided by the plasma concentration of the drug.
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Basic Concept01:28

Basic Concept

Engineering mechanics is a branch of engineering that studies motion and the forces acting on objects. It is a fundamental subject and forms the basis of many other engineering disciplines. Length, time, mass, and force are some basic concepts in engineering mechanics.
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Radical Formation: Elimination00:51

Radical Formation: Elimination

Another method of radical formation is the elimination process. It is the opposite of the addition route and is driven by the instability of the radical. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, dibenzoyl peroxide yields a pair of unstable radicals upon homolysis. Given its instability, this radical spontaneously undergoes elimination via a C–C bond cleavage to form a relatively more stable phenyl radical. The mechanism involves cleavage of the bond between the α and β positions with respect to...
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The self-concept encompasses individuals' beliefs about themselves, structured through cognitive frameworks known as self-schemas. These schemas function as mental representations of specific traits or behaviors, influencing how self-relevant information is perceived, processed, and remembered. For example, individuals who are schematic for body weight are more likely to interpret routine experiences—such as dining out or shopping—through the lens of that trait. Conversely, those aschematic for...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

A Simple Non-invasive Method for Temporary Knockdown of Upper Limb Proprioception
07:42

A Simple Non-invasive Method for Temporary Knockdown of Upper Limb Proprioception

Published on: March 3, 2018

Eliminating the "concept" concept.

Stevan Harnad1

  • 1Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada, H3C 3P8. harnad@ugam.ca

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|June 30, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive science may not need "concepts." This study proposes replacing them with sensorimotor category-detectors and names, forming propositions to define new categories for better scientific explanation.

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Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

A Simple Non-invasive Method for Temporary Knockdown of Upper Limb Proprioception
07:42

A Simple Non-invasive Method for Temporary Knockdown of Upper Limb Proprioception

Published on: March 3, 2018

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Linguistics

Background:

  • The concept of "concept" is debated as a "natural kind" in scientific explanation.
  • Machery argues cognitive science should abandon the use of concepts due to their heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose an alternative framework for cognitive science that avoids the problematic concept of "concept."
  • To introduce sensorimotor category-detectors and category-names as a replacement for traditional concepts.

Main Methods:

  • Critically evaluating the utility of "concepts" as a foundational element in cognitive science.
  • Proposing a theoretical substitution involving inborn and acquired sensorimotor category-detectors.
  • Integrating these detectors with category-names into propositional structures to define and describe categories.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrates the heterogeneity of "concepts," challenging their role as a "natural kind."
  • Presents a novel theoretical construct combining sensorimotor processing and linguistic elements.
  • Outlines how these combined elements can form propositions to define and describe categories.

Conclusions:

  • The traditional notion of "concept" is ill-suited for robust scientific explanation in cognitive science.
  • Sensorimotor category-detectors and category-names offer a viable, more scientifically tractable alternative.
  • This revised framework can support a more rigorous and unified approach to understanding cognition.