Measurement Relationships
In concept formation, you can establish a range by omitting specific measurements. This process, known as measurement-omission, allows for the creation of broader categories or concepts by focusing on similarities while disregarding exact values of attributes. For instance, forming the concept of "dog" involves recognizing the general canine shape[1], size, diet, and sensory capabilities without specifying exact measurements. The concept of "dog" thus encompasses a range of sizes, colors, and other attributes.
Conceptual identification, on the other hand, operates by measurement-inclusion; a process of including specific measurements within an established range. When identifying a new animal as a "dog," the measurements of its characteristics such as shape, size, and proportions are compared to the established range of the "dog" category. If the new animal's measurements fall within this range, it is classified as a dog. This process applies the information stored in the conceptual "file folder" to the subject being identified.[2]
Children, while forming and identifying concepts, are primarily aware of similarities and differences among objects, not the precise measurement relationships underlying these concepts. This understanding of measurement relationships is a more advanced cognitive development identified by epistemologists.
The canine shape, though instantly recognizable, is a complex set of ratios, such as of maximum height to maximum length and thickness, head size to body size, eye separation to head size, etc. ↩︎
Neuroscience supports that all mental content, including concepts, is stored in the nervous system in physical form, involving changes in neurons and their synaptic connections(For a well-written, popularized history of some very recent discoveries concerning how the brain stores memories, see McDermott, 2011.) ↩︎