Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Reason and Intuition

Reason and Intuition

The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the...

Natural and Artificial Concepts

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...

Structuralism

Structuralism

Structuralism, an early psychological theory developed by Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward Bradford Titchener, sought to dissect the human mind into its most fundamental components. Wundt's groundbreaking work in his laboratory set the stage for Titchener to define structuralism's goal as cataloging the "atoms" of the mind—sensations, images, and feelings—akin to how chemists identify elements of matter.
Titchener's approach to structuralism was unique. He...

Cognitivism

Cognitivism

Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...

The Nativist Approach

The Nativist Approach

The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

"I know a lot about medicinal plants. I read, I watch, and I search": towards hybrid knowledge systems in the modern era.

Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine·2026

Same author

The conceptual potential of 'more-than-human care': A reflection with an artisanal fishing village in Brazil.

Geo : geography and environment·2024

Same author

Back by popular demand, ontology: Productive tensions between anthropological and philosophical approaches to ontology.

Synthese·2023

Same author

From naturalness to materiality: reimagining philosophy of scientific classification.

European journal for philosophy of science·2023

Same author

Relating traditional and academic ecological knowledge: mechanistic and holistic epistemologies across cultures.

Biology & philosophy·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

Philosophy without natural kinds: a reply to Reydon & Ereshefsky.

¹Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, Netherlands.

European Journal for Philosophy of Science

|July 30, 2024

Summary

The grounded functionality account offers a new approach to natural kinds in scientific classification. However, it is not a complete theory, suggesting a need for novel philosophical frameworks beyond general definitions.

Keywords:

Grounded functionality Material kinds Materiality Natural kinds Ontology Scientific classification

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Published on: August 4, 2023

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning

Published on: November 2, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Published on: August 4, 2023

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning

Published on: November 2, 2012

Area of Science:

Philosophy of Science
Scientific Classification
Metaphysics of Science

Background:

The philosophical tradition of natural kinds has historically influenced scientific classification.
This tradition faces increasing criticism regarding its applicability and theoretical underpinnings.
Reydon and Ereshefsky proposed the grounded functionality account to address these criticisms and defend natural kinds.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the grounded functionality account as a strategy for updating the tradition of natural kinds.
To determine if grounded functionality offers a viable general theory of natural kinds.
To explore the implications of the account's strengths and limitations for future philosophical frameworks.

Main Methods:

Critical analysis of Reydon and Ereshefsky's grounded functionality account.
Philosophical argumentation regarding the scope and limitations of the account.
Comparative assessment of the grounded functionality account against the broader tradition of natural kinds.

Main Results:

Grounded functionality provides a valuable philosophical approach to scientific classification.
The account is not convincing as a comprehensive general theory of natural kinds.
The analysis highlights specific strengths and limitations of the grounded functionality approach.

Conclusions:

The grounded functionality account offers a productive, albeit incomplete, perspective on natural kinds.
It is time to move beyond traditional, general definitions of natural kinds.
Further experimentation with new philosophical frameworks is necessary for advancing the study of scientific classification.