[Sigcr-l] Concept Theory in JASSIST

[Birger Hjørland]

Dear ISKO-members
I have just published a paper termed "Concept Theory" In Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 60(8), 1519-1536.
 

Abstract:
Concept theory is an extremely broad, interdisciplinary and complex =
field of research related to many deep fields with very long historical =
traditions without much consensus. However, information science and =
knowledge organization cannot avoid relating to theories of concepts. =
Knowledge organizing systems (e.g. classification systems, thesauri and =
ontologies) should be understood as systems basically organizing =
concepts and their semantic relations. The same is the case with =
information retrieval systems. Different theories of concepts have =
different implications for how to construe, evaluate and use such =
systems. Based on "a post-Kuhnian view" of paradigms this paper put =
forward arguments that the best understanding and classification of =
theories of concepts is to view and classify them in accordance with =
epistemological theories (empiricism, rationalism, historicism and =
pragmatism). It is also argued that the historicist and pragmatist =
understandings of concepts are the most fruitful views and that this =
understanding may be part of a broader paradigm shift that is also =
beginning to take place in information science.  The importance of =
historicist and pragmatic theories of concepts for information science =
is outlined.=20



If you do not have access to JASIST, I'll be happy to send you a reprint.

Please email to bh at db.dk




kind regards



Birger Hjørland