Module 05
Prototype Theory
Why human categories are not boolean — and the profound implications for AI classification systems.
Progress0 / 2 Lessons
Structure
2 Lessons
Investment
1.2h
Level
Intermediate
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5.1 — Categories & Prototypes
Eleanor Rosch's prototype theory and why 'a robin is more of a bird than a penguin' matters for AI.
Learning Objectives
1
Critique classical category theory and articulate its key limitations for modeling human cognition
2
Define prototype effects, typicality gradients, and graded category membership
3
Apply prototype theory to understand and predict LLM category behavior and edge-case failures