Concept

A concept is a stabilizable cognitive construct that enables distinction, orientation and operation within a system of observation. It does not exist independently of observation but emerges through the repeated differentiation of experience. Concepts allow systems to treat multiple observations as comparable, enabling recognition, categorization and coordinated action. Without concepts, observation would remain undifferentiated and inoperable.

Concepts are not objects, entities or representations of reality. They do not possess inherent truth, meaning or reference by themselves. Rather, they function as organizational structures that make observation possible by providing criteria for distinction. A concept becomes accessible only through an expression and gains directional relevance through reference. In this sense, concepts are neither directly observable nor operable in isolation.

A single concept may be associated with multiple expressions and may be referenced in different way depending on context. Conversely, the same expression may support different concepts across situations. Concepts are therefore inherently relational and context-sensitive; they stabilize distinctions without fixing interpretation. Their apparent stability arises not from correspondence with reality but from repeated operational viability within a system.

Concepts are constructed and maintained trough ongoing operations such as observation, communication and formal manipulation. Their persistence depends on continued use and differentiation rather than ontological grounding. As such, concepts are dynamic structures: they may evolve, merge or dissolve as operational conditions change.

Within the relation Concept-Expression-Reference, the concept functions as the organizing element.