Concept Definition and 1000 Threads

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 statesConcepts 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".

Concepts may be exact, or inexact.
When the mind makes a generalization such as the concept of tree, it extracts similarities from numerous examples; the simplification enables higher-level thinking.
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 where they are sometimes called classes, schema or categories. In informal use the word concept often just means any idea.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. P

    Why is the current the same in resistors connected in series?

    Homework Statement Hi. This isn't exactly a homework question but a concept question. So when resistors are connected in series, I know that I total= I1=I2=I3...etc... but if the resistors are different i don't understand how the current can be the same, even if they are in series... like...
  2. P

    Concept Electric Hybrid SOFC/Battery Transit Bus

    Good afternoon from England! I am sure this is not a homework, rather an engineering project. I am interested in an alternative way of electrically propelling a transit bus using a combination of solid oxide fuel cell and battery, focussing on its powertrain. Two powertrain...
  3. P

    Gravity Concept: Is it Wave or Geometry Blending?

    Hi, I have a conceptual problem about Gravity. According to GR, gravity is simply a blending of space and it is NOT a force. However, I always hear that there is a so called gravitation wave. So, I am confused. Is it a wave? or a geometry blending?? Please correct me this...
  4. G

    Quick Couple Concept Questions on Guass's Law

    Just a couple quick questions I was wondering about. Also, this is an Introductory E&M class so we don't actually perform the surface integral so knowing \oint\vec{E}d\vec{A}=EA=\frac{q_{enclosed}}{\epsilon_{0}} When using cylindrical symmetry I'm supposed to ignore any flux on the top and...
  5. X

    Momentum Conservation and Collisions Concept?

    Homework Statement A 100 kg man and a 90 kg man are rounding a corner and collide. The heavier man is running, while the 90 kg man is walking. What happens to the momentum of the 100 kg man? Does it increase, decrease, stay the same, or "is conserved"? Homework Equations Change in...
  6. E

    How does charge delocalization affect phenoxide anion stability?

    Why does delocalization of the negative charge over the ortho and para positions of aromatic rings increase the stability of the phenoxide anion? Why do the ortho and para positions increase the stability but not the meta position? Please explain. Thank you.
  7. K

    ENTHALPY ? Concept Undestanding help

    ENTHALPY ? Concept Undestanding help Homework Statement Hello, I am studying about enthalpy and I don't need any homework help but what I do desperately need is someone to explain to me how it works. I don't understand what enthalpy is and what the relationship is between heats of reactions...
  8. N

    Simple Improper Integral Question (just a question of concept understanding)

    Homework Statement I am to determine whether the following integral is convergent or divergent \int_0^1 \frac{sin(x)}{x} From what I hear since, lower limit is zero there is a removable discontinuity. Thus just because of this, it is convergent? Can someone let me know if this is correct.
  9. S

    Question about the concept of Reaction Rate

    This is not a homework question. Im curious as to why in some situations rate is described as s^{-1} without a change in property in the numerator. As i understand, rate is defined as a change of a property over the time elapsed over that change.. How can we have a reaction rate without...
  10. A

    Naturalistic Reincarnation Concept

    [PLAIN]www.naturalism.org/death.htm[/URL] Read the former link and tell me what you think. The author, Thomas W. Clark, concludes that when one dies, experience does not cease for that subject but continues in "other subjects which come into being". It is essentially a naturalistic version of...
  11. B

    Explanation of Center of Mass in a 1.00 m Pipe vs. Human Limbs

    Homework Statement Why is the CM of a 1.00 m length of pipe at its midpoint, whereas this is not true for your arm or leg?
  12. W

    Can piezoelectric concept be used to generate electricity on a large scale

    I was going through few books and i found out that piezoelectric concept generates good amount of current but not enough power(wattage) ... As I was thinking of making a project on this concept can somebody tell me how can huge amount of voltage as well as current be generated from piezoelectric...
  13. E

    Which firecracker explodes first according to synchronized clocks on the ground?

    Homework Statement "Two firecrackers A and B are placed at x' = 0 and x' = 100 ns, respectively, on a train moving in the +x direction relative to the ground frame. According to synchronized clocks on the train, both firecrackers explode simultaneously. Which firecracker explodes first...
  14. R

    A concept from calculus that has always bothered me

    When one writes \int p(t) \, dt is the constant of integration implied? I have always thought that it wasn't necessary to write \int p(t) \, dt +k. However, in my diff. eq. book the constant is ussually written out, why is this so? In addition the book also writes \int_{t_o}^t p(t) \, dt...
  15. K

    Question on concept of voltage.

    WARNING: Sorry about babbling on, the question is probably really simple and all this text is pointless, so for those of you who don't like to read, my main question is bolded. Alright, so I can apply the concepts of voltage, that isn't my issue, but there is something about voltage that has...
  16. L

    Electricity, Gauss law concept question

    A certain region bounded by an imaginary closed surface contains no charge. Is the electric field always zero everywhere on the surface? If not, under what circumstances is it zero on the surface. I think it is zero everywhere because as the electric field is entering the closed surface, it...
  17. H

    What Is the Concept of Superposition in Quantum Mechanics?

    Hi I was just wondering if someone could explain superposition in QM? Is it to get the probability of finding a particle in a certain state of a wavefunction that would have both positive and negative probabilities?
  18. T

    Conical Pendulum Concept Questions

    Homework Statement Q1. I am currently doing a physics assignment where i must answer some concept questions about a conical pendulum. So here they are: Does the centripetal acceleration and/or the net force alter if the launch angle changes? Q2. Would the centripetal acceleration and/or...
  19. J

    Can't get the concept [of energy]

    Can't get the concept ! [of energy] I can't get the actual concept or meaning of various forms of energies . Actually what is energy ? Can anyone provide a brief definition of kinetic energy and potential energy based on work ? I can't get the relation between work and energy... Thanks in...
  20. C

    What if 0 is just a concept with no actual real-world counterpart?

    Have you ever noticed that when you get 0 involved in even the simplest multiplicative operations, it manages to screw them up? For instance, take the functions f(x)=1/x and g(x)=xx. As for f(x)=1/x, f(0)=1/0, an expression that, from one side of the equation's graph, appears to represent...
  21. C

    Schools Grad School Admissions Question – GPA and Whole Person Concept

    Grad School Admissions Question – GPA and “Whole Person Concept” I’ve searched through many of the different grad school threads on the forums and cannot find exactly what I am searching for, or I’m completely missing it. Going into spring semester, I am a little over 50% through my degree...
  22. S

    AP Physics Multiple Choice Concept Question

    A standing wave pattern is created on a guitar string as a person tunes the guitar by changing the tension in the string. Which of the following properties of the waves on the string will change as a result of adjusting only the tension in the string? 1) Speed of the traveling wave that...
  23. B

    Concept question, coil spring and energy.

    Homework Statement A coil spring of mass m rests upright on a table. If you compress the spring by pressing down with your hand and then release it, can the spring actually leave the table? Explain, using the law of conservation of energy.
  24. S

    Concept of Potential Energy -vs Electric Potential in an EField

    Homework Statement 6. A positive charge is initially at rest in an electric field and is free to move. Which of the following statements is true about the movement of the positive charge? a. Start to move to a position with higher potential and higher potential energy b. Start to move to...
  25. J

    A concept problem on organic chemistry

    Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons which are very unreactive. However, they undergo combustion, i.e. they react with oxygen. Why? (Even compounds as unreactive as polythene with over thousands of carbon atoms per molecule undergoes combustion...)
  26. G

    Exploring SHM and Spring Dynamics: Concept Questions and Answers

    Just going through some concept questions and these three have me stumped. If anyone can lend a hand. If a uniform spring is cut in half, what is the force constant of each half? Justify your answer. How would the frequency of SHM using a half-spring difer from that using the same mass and...
  27. Y

    Orbital Concepts: Is the p-Orbital Node At the Nucleus?

    Please tell me that node of p-orbital is at nucleus or no. please give me right concept about orbital.
  28. I

    Thermodynamics concept question

    Problem: Why does an ideal gas cool when it expands adiabatically and reversibly? Is the volume of the container expanding? so the total kinetic energy of the gas is getting smaller as it occupies more space making the temperature cool?
  29. F

    Concept Question: Work done by a Spring

    I just need confirmation that I'm thinking of this in the right way. It's looks so simple that I feel I'm overthinking things and messing up. You are holding onto a spring that is already stretched. You then proceed to take that spring to equilibrium slowly. (a) The work you do is...
  30. jegues

    Concept question: Angular momentum

    Homework Statement A pulley with radius R and rotational inertia I is free to rotate on a horizontal fixed axis through its center. A massless string passes over the pulley. A block of mass m1 is attached to one end and a block of mass m2 is attached to the other. At one time the block with...
  31. K

    Calculating Gold Atoms: Mole Concept and 15% Pure Gold Mass

    How many Gold atoms are in Gold mass of 2.5g? 15 percent of the mass is pure Gold. So first i found 15 percent of the mass which i used to calculate the number of moles. Then i multiplied the moles by Avogadros number to give me the atoms. Anyone help
  32. W

    Fundamental Theorem of Calculus concept

    I just learned about the fundamental theorem of calculus. I can see that this ties together differentiation and intergration, but I was wondering what kind of problems can be solved by using this theorem? In other words, what can the theorem be applied to?
  33. B

    Concept Question. Force and Work.

    Homework Statement Can the normal force on an object ever do work? Homework Equations Work= Force x displacement The Attempt at a Solution My guess would be no (if there is not any displacement.)
  34. C

    Trying to understand this concept

    If a force is exerted on the Earth by the moon, how come the Earth doesn't move? I don't get how this works with F=ma because shouldn't there be some acceleration caused the moon exerting an equal and opposite force on the earth?
  35. M

    Concept of 3 balls falling from building at different angles

    If a ball is thrown upwards, another straight out, and another downwards, which will reach the ground with the highest velocity? After thinking about this for a while my conclusion is that they all will have the same velocity since they all have the same initial gravitational potential energy...
  36. C

    Vertical simple harmonic motion concept

    Homework Statement A 0.12-kg block is suspended from a spring. When a small stone of mass 30 g is placed on the block, the spring stretches an additional 5 cm. With the stone on the block, the spring oscillates with an amplitude of 12 cm. What is the net force of the stone when it is at a point...
  37. turin

    Confused about the concept of equality

    Ever since I took a "high-level" math class (grad level topology), I have been baffled. This baffling has been further confounded by a couple of math-methods courses in which the professor was a highly gifted and recognized mathematical physicist, and so very careful (and picky) about the...
  38. R

    Understanding Momentum and Moment of Area Concepts | Explained by Experts

    Hi I was wondering if anyone could explain why the momentum of the center of mass of a system is different than the sum of the independent momentums of every object. I also don't understand the concepts of the first and second moment of area. I would appreciate it if someone explained it...
  39. J

    Concept problems regarding equations of higher degree

    Homework Statement We generally accepted in lower forms, that when we deal with equations of higher degree, arriving at solutions which need to be rejected is normal, even natural. However, now that I think of it, doesn't arriving at wrong answers mean only that our deductive argument...
  40. jacksonpeeble

    Derivative of Exponential and Logarithmic Function Concept Question

    Homework Statement y=9-x Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution dy/dx=-9-xln9 We are provided with the answers. I do not understand the concept behind how to get from the question to the solution. What rule(s) are applied? If somebody could solve this single question...
  41. M

    What is the scariest scientific concept?

    Something that always freaks me out is the idea that time has no end, every time I think about it I get properly wierded out. Recently I started trying to get my head around the start of time, either there being one or not being one, and that's almost as bad. The qustion is, are there any...
  42. A

    Pulse Jet engine - A new design concept

    I`ve had a new idea in designing a pulse jet by adding a valve in it... According to my intuition and logically this increases the output many folds and I`ve given sufficient reasons for suggesting it. I have a powerpoint of my idea that I have made and I request any of you to please go through...
  43. E

    Reactive Power: A Strange Concept?

    Hi! What is your opinion about this article: [PLAIN]"www.bme.hu/ptee2000/papers/fetea.pdf"[/URL]
  44. O

    Resolving Tensions: Time in Custom and Concept in Modern Physics

    Time in Custom and Concept There are tensions between the customary way one thinks of time, and concepts of time in modern physics. Evolution has conditioned us (and probably many of our fellow creatures) to accept that time is a mysterious and unceasing progression through our consciousness...
  45. R

    Concept of Elasticity on an atomic level

    Hi guys, Can someone explain The concept of ELASTICITY on an atomic level. To be clear can somebody please try and elaborate on how does a metal rod or bar or wire start to extend under the influence of an external load. What exactly happens on the interatomic level, say we...
  46. D

    Understanding Scalar Fields and the Laplace Equation: How Do They Relate?

    I've recently read about Null Identities of vector analysis. I'm having a problem in understanding what is it by "taking the curl of the grad of any scalar field is equal to zero." What is by definition of scalar field then? How would it looks like? Is position vector a scalar field? If No...
  47. B

    Concept of slip speed in Self Excited Induction Generator (SEIG)

    Hi Guys, :smile: In case of an Induction Generator (IG) connected to grid, the rotor runs at super synchronous (above synchronous) speed exhibiting -ve slip. This is possible since the grid frequency is fixed at say, 50Hz. However, in case of a Self Excited Induction Generator (SEIG), it...
  48. A

    Why Does CN- Cause pH to Increase in Hydrolysis?

    On our study guide, our teacher gave us some problems. This one baffles me for some reason. 1. When solid NaCN is added to water, the pH ________________. a.remains at 7 b.becomes greater than 7 because of the hydrolysis of Na+ c.becomes less than 7 because of the hydrolysis of Na+...
  49. M

    Why Must the String Be Parallel to the Surface in Friction Experiments?

    Homework Statement Alright, I understand that friction needs to be parallel to the surface, but I'm confused on why. So if a string is attached to a block that connects to hanging masses in a lab, and you're pulling the block to measure the friction force, why does it have to be parallel...
  50. S

    Why graviton particle theory concept is not accepted?

    is graviton does really exist?
Back
Top