Concepts are not mental images, but not word like entities either. Concepts are mental representations. The dictionary refers to a concept as a general idea or notion that corresponds to some class of entities that consist of characteristics or essential features of class . But it is not just a general idea. They, in fact, shape the way we live, through the way we think, act, judge, and more. They determine the way we discover, interpret and apply knowledge. We create concepts by labeling or classifying our experiences or objects into classes. Concept formation is a process where we try to make sense of the world in which we exist.This classification can happen based on multiple ways, namely, observation, past experiences, experimentation,
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We rely on testimony, logic/reason, and empiricism which all do not ensure your knowledge 100 %. For instance, atheism is the disbelief or denial of God. An atheist is shown through science, such as the big bang theory, that the world was not created by God. This is testimony because the individual did not actually experience the big bang theory, they still take it as knowledge. But in fact, this is may not be the truth. Sure science leans towards this answer, but it will never be known. This knowledge shapes one’s conclusion to believing there is no God when it may, in fact, be the complete opposite. So our concepts may lead to an uncertain conclusion. Our concepts do however shape our conclusions in the form of actions. Richard Dawson spoke on TedTalks and explains if we let ourselves form knowledge on what we sense we could very much be wrong. For example, we know that a stone wall is very dense and hard. We also know that atoms are mostly empty space. That wall is made up of atoms, so is it not an empty space? As human beings, we search for logic and for coherence. Well, the fact that our concepts shape our conclusions through actions agrees together. We follow through for what we believe in, in the form of decisions and engagements. If you are an environmentalist you show actions that aid the environment. Or if an individual is racist, they will make racist statements and notions. If someone does not …show more content…
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and one of the founders of behavioral economics points out that decisions we make are based on our memories You may say well that has nothing to do with concepts, but it has everything to do with them. Memory in itself is not a concept, but the fact that our memories are based on our concepts, however, is relevant. An individual with the concept of pessimism may feel differently towards an event or object than someone lacking that concept. For example, this person rode a horse in the past when they were five. They thought it was amazing and very much enjoyed it. But at the very end of the ride fell off of the horse and almost broke an arm. Odds are that the fall will degrade their memory of the ride, no matter how exceptional they otherwise would have remembered it. Anyone who is not a pessimist may not even remember this memory because they are focused on the positive, so they would ride a horse again if they had the chance. A pessimist on the other hand would remember this bad part of the memory, and in the result, not ride a horse ever again. Memories remembered by concepts shape conclusions we form, hence it is actually the concept shaping the conclusion, but what if your concept
We rely on testimony, logic/reason, and empiricism which all do not ensure your knowledge 100 %. For instance, atheism is the disbelief or denial of God. An atheist is shown through science, such as the big bang theory, that the world was not created by God. This is testimony because the individual did not actually experience the big bang theory, they still take it as knowledge. But in fact, this is may not be the truth. Sure science leans towards this answer, but it will never be known. This knowledge shapes one’s conclusion to believing there is no God when it may, in fact, be the complete opposite. So our concepts may lead to an uncertain conclusion. Our concepts do however shape our conclusions in the form of actions. Richard Dawson spoke on TedTalks and explains if we let ourselves form knowledge on what we sense we could very much be wrong. For example, we know that a stone wall is very dense and hard. We also know that atoms are mostly empty space. That wall is made up of atoms, so is it not an empty space? As human beings, we search for logic and for coherence. Well, the fact that our concepts shape our conclusions through actions agrees together. We follow through for what we believe in, in the form of decisions and engagements. If you are an environmentalist you show actions that aid the environment. Or if an individual is racist, they will make racist statements and notions. If someone does not …show more content…
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and one of the founders of behavioral economics points out that decisions we make are based on our memories You may say well that has nothing to do with concepts, but it has everything to do with them. Memory in itself is not a concept, but the fact that our memories are based on our concepts, however, is relevant. An individual with the concept of pessimism may feel differently towards an event or object than someone lacking that concept. For example, this person rode a horse in the past when they were five. They thought it was amazing and very much enjoyed it. But at the very end of the ride fell off of the horse and almost broke an arm. Odds are that the fall will degrade their memory of the ride, no matter how exceptional they otherwise would have remembered it. Anyone who is not a pessimist may not even remember this memory because they are focused on the positive, so they would ride a horse again if they had the chance. A pessimist on the other hand would remember this bad part of the memory, and in the result, not ride a horse ever again. Memories remembered by concepts shape conclusions we form, hence it is actually the concept shaping the conclusion, but what if your concept