Radder, Hans (2022) Empirical concepts: Their meaning and its emergence. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This article presents a detailed, novel account of the emergence of (the meaning of) empirical concepts. Acquiring experience and empirical concepts is shown to be the result of multifaceted, cognitive processes, which require both material realization and conceptual interpretation. Generally speaking, the meaning of empirical concepts consists of several distinct components, but it includes at least a structuring and an abstracting component. These two meaning components are abstract entities, which can be justifiably interpreted as real objects.
On this basis, I address the subject of emergence. The primary claim is that the abstracting meaning component (but not the structuring one) emerges from its underlying empirical processes: it both depends on and transcends these processes. This claim is expounded by discussing relevant similarities and dissimilarities between the emergence of abstract meanings and a range of central features of emergence prominent in recent debates on this topic. The conception of empirical concepts with emergent abstracting meaning components involves an interpretation that avoids the problematic extremes of both empiricism and Platonism.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Radder, Hans h.radder@vu.nl 0000000190078650
Keywords:	Empirical processes and concepts; structuring and abstracting meaning components; abstract but real objects; emergence of the abstracting meaning components
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Experimentation General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Depositing User:	Dr Hans Radder
Date Deposited:	31 Oct 2022 17:55
Last Modified:	31 Oct 2022 17:55
Item ID:	21334
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Experimentation General Issues > Reductionism/Holism
Date:	2022
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21334

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• Empirical concepts: Their meaning and its emergence. (deposited 31 Oct 2022 17:55) [Currently Displayed]
  • Empirical concepts: Their meaning and its emergence. (deposited 27 Jan 2023 14:33)

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