Tag: concept

A concept is a general idea, or something conceived in the mind.
John Locke’s description of a general idea corresponds to a description of a concept. According to Locke, a general idea is created by abstracting, drawing away, or removing the uncommon characteristic or characteristics from several particular ideas. The remaining common characteristic is that which is similar to all of the different individuals. For example, the abstract general idea or concept that is designated by the word “red” is that characteristic which is common to apples, cherries, and blood. The abstract general idea or concept that is signified by the word “dog” is the collection of those characteristics which are common to Airedales, Collies, and Chihuahuas.
John Stuart Mill argued that general conceptions are formed through abstraction. A general conception is the common element among the many images of members of a class. “…[W]hen we form a set of phenomena into a class, that is, when we compare them…