Conceptual Form

ENDORSEMENTS

“Conceptual Form is a major contribution to the study of concepts, revealing how everyday concepts possess intricate formal structure that previous theorizing has systematically overlooked. Prasada’s account makes explicit the fundamental metaphysical assumptions inherent in the human conceptual system. This groundbreaking work is essential reading for anyone interested in concepts, language, or distinctively human forms of thought.”
—Eric Margolis, Professor of Philosophy, University of British Columbia

“Concepts expressed in language lie at the heart of what makes us human, with profound implications for how we think, how knowledge systems are acquired, and how we transmit hard-won wisdom as well as social prejudices. In Conceptual Form, Sandeep Prasada combines psychological, linguistic, and philosophical insights in a highly original and important theory of ‘conceptual forms’. This book is a must-read for cognitive scientists with interests in language and the human mind.”
—Susan A. Gelman, Heinz Werner Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Linguistics, University of Michigan

“Sandeep Prasada’s theory of conceptual form as a ‘mental lens’ is a remarkable scientific accomplishment and represents cognitive science at its best. This original approach to commonsense concepts is theoretically deep, providing insightful evidence and subtle predictions. The mechanism of conceptual forms provides an innovative way to go beyond existing ideas about conceptual content. The book is essential reading for the concepts crowd in cognitive psychology, philosophy, and linguistics.”
—David Poeppel, Professor of Psychology and Neural Science, New York University