Concept
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| [[Image:Sign and signifier as imagined by de Saussure.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Signified]] ([[concept]]) and [[signifier]] ([[sound-image]]) as imagined by [[Ferdinand de Saussure|de Saussure]]]] | [[Image:Sign and signifier as imagined by de Saussure.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Signified]] ([[concept]]) and [[signifier]] ([[sound-image]]) as imagined by [[Ferdinand de Saussure|de Saussure]]]] | ||
| + | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" | ||
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| + | "In [[conceptual art]] the [[idea]] or [[concept]] is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art." – [[Sol LeWitt]], "[[Paragraphs on Conceptual Art]]", ''[[Artforum]]'', June 1967. | ||
| + | <hr> | ||
| + | From ''[[con-]]'' + ''[[capio]]''. | ||
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| + | |} | ||
| [[Image:466px-Yin yang.svg.png|thumb|right|200px|[[Yin and yang]]]] | [[Image:466px-Yin yang.svg.png|thumb|right|200px|[[Yin and yang]]]] | ||
| [[Image:Diagram of the human mind, from Robert Fludd (1574-1637), Utriusque cosmic maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Diagram of the human mind, from ''[[Utriusque cosmi maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica]]'', page 217[http://www.archive.org/stream/utriusquecosmima02flud#page/217/mode/1up] by [[Robert Fludd]]]][[Image:Carte du tendre.jpg|thumb|right|200px| | [[Image:Diagram of the human mind, from Robert Fludd (1574-1637), Utriusque cosmic maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Diagram of the human mind, from ''[[Utriusque cosmi maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica]]'', page 217[http://www.archive.org/stream/utriusquecosmima02flud#page/217/mode/1up] by [[Robert Fludd]]]][[Image:Carte du tendre.jpg|thumb|right|200px| | ||
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| Illustration: The ''[[Map of Tendre]]'' (''Carte du Tendre'')]] | Illustration: The ''[[Map of Tendre]]'' (''Carte du Tendre'')]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Marcel Duchamp Fountain, 1917, photograph by Alfred Stieglitz at 291 art gallery following the 1917 Society of Independent Artists exhibit, with entry tag visible. The backdrop is The Warriors by Marsden Hartley..jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Fountain (Duchamp)|Fountain]]'' (1917) by Marcel Duchamp]] | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | A '''concept''' is an [[abstraction|abstract]] [[idea]] or a mental symbol, typically associated with a corresponding representation in and [[language]] or [[symbology]]. It is something understood, and retained in the mind, from experience, reasoning and/or imagination; a [[generalization]] (generic, basic form), or abstraction (mental impression), of a particular set of instances or occurrences (specific, though different, recorded manifestations of the concept). | + | '''Concepts''' are defined as [[abstract]] [[idea]]s or general [[notion]]s that occur in the [[mind]], in [[speech]], or in [[thought]]. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of thoughts and [[belief]]s. They play an important role in all aspects of [[cognition]]. As such, concepts are studied by several disciplines, such as linguistics, psychology, and philosophy, and these disciplines are interested in the logical and psychological structure of concepts, and how they are put together to form thoughts and sentences. The study of concepts has served as an important flagship of an emerging interdisciplinary approach called cognitive science. |
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| + | In [[contemporary philosophy]], there are at least three prevailing ways to understand what a concept is: | ||
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| + | * Concepts as [[mental representation]]s, where concepts are entities that exist in the mind (mental objects) | ||
| + | * Concepts as [[skill|abilities]], where concepts are abilities peculiar to cognitive agents (mental states) | ||
| + | * Concepts as [[Fregean]] senses (see [[sense and reference]]), where concepts are [[abstract objects]], as opposed to mental objects and mental states | ||
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| + | Concepts can be organized into a hierarchy, higher levels of which are termed "superordinate" and lower levels termed "subordinate". Additionally, there is the "basic" or "middle" level at which people will most readily categorize a concept. For example, a basic-level concept would be "chair", with its superordinate, "furniture", and its subordinate, "easy chair". | ||
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| + | A concept is [[instantiate#Verb|instantiated (reified)]] by all of its actual or potential instances, whether these are things in the real world or other [[idea]]s. | ||
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| + | Concepts are studied as components of human cognition in the [[cognitive science]] disciplines of [[linguistics]], [[psychology]] and, [[philosophy]], where an ongoing debate asks whether all cognition must occur through concepts. Concepts are used as formal tools or models in [[mathematics]], [[computer science]], [[database]]s and [[artificial intelligence]]. | ||
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| + | In [[informal#Adjective|informal]] use the word ''concept'' often just means any [[idea]]. | ||
| + | == Ideasthesia == | ||
| + | According to the theory of [[ideasthesia]] (or "sensing concepts"), activation of a concept may be the main mechanism responsible for the creation of phenomenal experiences. Therefore, understanding how the brain processes concepts may be central to solving the mystery of how conscious experiences (or [[qualia]]) emerge within a physical system e.g., the sourness of the sour taste of lemon. This question is also known as the [[hard problem of consciousness]]. Research on ideasthesia emerged from research on [[synesthesia]] where it was noted that a synesthetic experience requires first an activation of a concept of the inducer. Later research expanded these results into everyday perception. | ||
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| + | There is a lot of discussion on the most effective theory in concepts. Another theory is semantic pointers, which use perceptual and motor representations and these representations are like symbols. | ||
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| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| - | <div style="-moz-column-count:4; column-count:4;"> | + | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3"> |
| * [[Abstraction]] | * [[Abstraction]] | ||
| * [[Categorization]] | * [[Categorization]] | ||
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| * [[Conceptual art]] | * [[Conceptual art]] | ||
| * [[Conceptual blending]] | * [[Conceptual blending]] | ||
| - | * [[Conceptual history]] (also termed: 'History of concepts' or 'Begriffsgeschichte') | + | * [[Conceptual character]] |
| + | * [[Conceptual history]] | ||
| * [[Conceptual metaphor]] | * [[Conceptual metaphor]] | ||
| + | * [[Conceptualism]] | ||
| * [[Definitionism]] | * [[Definitionism]] | ||
| + | * [[Essentially contested concept]] | ||
| * [[Formal concept analysis]] | * [[Formal concept analysis]] | ||
| * [[Fuzzy concept]] | * [[Fuzzy concept]] | ||
| * [[Hypostatic abstraction]] | * [[Hypostatic abstraction]] | ||
| + | * [[List of philosophical concepts]] | ||
| * [[Idea]] | * [[Idea]] | ||
| * [[Meme]] | * [[Meme]] | ||
| * [[Misconception]] | * [[Misconception]] | ||
| * [[Object (philosophy)]] | * [[Object (philosophy)]] | ||
| + | * [[Open concept]] | ||
| * [[Philosophy]] | * [[Philosophy]] | ||
| * [[Schema (Kant)]] | * [[Schema (Kant)]] | ||
| * [[Social construction]] | * [[Social construction]] | ||
| * [[Symbol grounding]] problem | * [[Symbol grounding]] problem | ||
| + | * [[Thick concept]] | ||
| </div> | </div> | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
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"In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art." – Sol LeWitt, "Paragraphs on Conceptual Art", Artforum, June 1967. |
![Diagram of the human mind, from Utriusque cosmi maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica, page 217[1] by Robert Fludd](/Image:Diagram_of_the_human_mind%2C_from_Robert_Fludd_%281574-1637%29%2C_Utriusque_cosmic_maioris_scilicet_et_minoris_metaphysica.jpg)
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Concepts are defined as abstract ideas or general notions that occur in the mind, in speech, or in thought. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of thoughts and beliefs. They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by several disciplines, such as linguistics, psychology, and philosophy, and these disciplines are interested in the logical and psychological structure of concepts, and how they are put together to form thoughts and sentences. The study of concepts has served as an important flagship of an emerging interdisciplinary approach called cognitive science.
In contemporary philosophy, there are at least three prevailing ways to understand what a concept is:
- Concepts as mental representations, where concepts are entities that exist in the mind (mental objects)
- Concepts as abilities, where concepts are abilities peculiar to cognitive agents (mental states)
- Concepts as Fregean senses (see sense and reference), where concepts are abstract objects, as opposed to mental objects and mental states
Concepts can be organized into a hierarchy, higher levels of which are termed "superordinate" and lower levels termed "subordinate". Additionally, there is the "basic" or "middle" level at which people will most readily categorize a concept. For example, a basic-level concept would be "chair", with its superordinate, "furniture", and its subordinate, "easy chair".
A concept is instantiated (reified) by all of its actual or potential instances, whether these are things in the real world or other ideas.
Concepts are studied as components of human cognition in the cognitive science disciplines of linguistics, psychology and, philosophy, where an ongoing debate asks whether all cognition must occur through concepts. Concepts are used as formal tools or models in mathematics, computer science, databases and artificial intelligence.
In informal use the word concept often just means any idea.
Ideasthesia
According to the theory of ideasthesia (or "sensing concepts"), activation of a concept may be the main mechanism responsible for the creation of phenomenal experiences. Therefore, understanding how the brain processes concepts may be central to solving the mystery of how conscious experiences (or qualia) emerge within a physical system e.g., the sourness of the sour taste of lemon. This question is also known as the hard problem of consciousness. Research on ideasthesia emerged from research on synesthesia where it was noted that a synesthetic experience requires first an activation of a concept of the inducer. Later research expanded these results into everyday perception.
There is a lot of discussion on the most effective theory in concepts. Another theory is semantic pointers, which use perceptual and motor representations and these representations are like symbols.
See also
- Abstraction
- Categorization
- Class (philosophy)
- Notion (philosophy)
- Concept and object
- Concept car
- Concept map
- Conceptual art
- Conceptual blending
- Conceptual character
- Conceptual history
- Conceptual metaphor
- Conceptualism
- Definitionism
- Essentially contested concept
- Formal concept analysis
- Fuzzy concept
- Hypostatic abstraction
- List of philosophical concepts
- Idea
- Meme
- Misconception
- Object (philosophy)
- Open concept
- Philosophy
- Schema (Kant)
- Social construction
- Symbol grounding problem
- Thick concept
