1. 2 Prototype Theory
The Prototype Theory had formed little by little during the criticism to the classical category theory of Aristotle. In the 2000 years before this, the classical category theory took the monopolized position.
1. 2. 1 Forming process of Prototype Theory
Wittgenstein had put forward his “Family Resemblance” concept when he was defining the German word “Spiel” (game). Wittgenstein thought that members in this “game” category do not have a series of features which are used to distinguish the “games” and the “non-games”. Then, Professor Labor carried on a study in the household utensils’ language category and he found that there is not an obvious discrimination boundary between cup and bowl. Exactly speaking, they were transited gradually from one to another, but this kind of attribute is different with the traditional dual structure theory. Under this foundation, Rosch advanced the prototype theory in 1975.
The prototype category theory believed that, a category is not determined by the sufficient and necessary conditions that its member shares, but by but by the combination of the largest areas of the characteristics of the prototype member and the other members which have more or less similarities with the prototype, as well as the blurring boundaries, in a simple word, by the three composed elements: Prototype member, other members and boundary. The prototype member is considered as the typical and core member within a category. Compared with the rest members in the same category, it enjoys more attributes while other members is located in different positions on the basis of how similarly it shares with the prototype and they become the category’s non-typical member or edge member after then. The family similarity decreases from the typical to the most marginalized one gradually.
It is also believed that all members in the same category do not share equal status and the category edge from one to another is fuzzy. One object may belong to a category completely while at the same time another object can be only parts in the category that means it is possible that two different categories have same part at the same time.
The prototype theory has provided a brand-new view and method to the category structure, division and character on the basis of the human experiences and observations to the objective world. Different scholars hold different standpoints from their own perspective.
1. 2. 2 The prominent position of Prototype Members in Prototype Theory
It is generally believed that the prototype member plays a decisive role in the category for its prominent character as well as they are easiest to store and pick up. The prototype theory sets the prototype member so pivotal status has its psychological and cognitive basis[5]. The shape psychology and the efficient cognitive principle provide the explanation to this.
Prototype member owns the most obvious distinct characteristics which can be aware of, that is to say, it has the complete perception appearance, which make it the most high-grade of the ideal balance between internal similarities and completely distinct out-look.
Single gestalt of things can reflect the characteristics of the entire category for its gestalt imago can be easily reserved in brain as a cognitive reference point. Moreover, in the sub-level, people’s classification is the most approach to the objective natural classification. Thus, people may easiest to succeed in dealing with things and get the most relaxed distinguish if the category is delimited and identified according to the prototype member.
1. 3 Problems in the Prototype extension
Advocates of the prototype theory denied that the “necessary and also sufficient characteristics” as the determined standard of category member. However, they did not do any direct discourse to the semantic features. If we abandon the “necessary and sufficient” principle, what would be the standard then? And if the answer is negative, how to judge object for the prototype member? If the answer is yes, then, with how many features can be called the prototype?
What’s more, what member can become the prototype member? How to explain that many prototype members presented in the same category at the same time? If the category fuzziness means that the category can be extended without limitation? If is not right, how to determine the category tolerance?
Prototype theory originated from Wittgenstein’s description of the family resemblance of the semantic category of ‘Spiel’ (game). Meaning exists in the form of prototype categories consisting of prototypes and peripheries which respectively refer to typical and atypical members. Applying the fuzzy set theory to prototypical studies of semantic categories results in foemalized descriptions of prototype structures. However, as a rising theory, the prototype theory still had many problems.
2. Roots of these problems
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