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In analytical philosophy, both schemas and paradigms are powerful conceptual structures for modeling phenomena, and I wonder which features define and differentiate them.

Schemas (as explored in cognitive science) appear to be sets of expectations. We can create mental representations of phenomena before fully experiencing them, just based on characteristic stimuli (Michalak). We often use schemas to help group and generalize in philosophical thought. So I wonder, are schemas characterized by expectations and predictions?

Paradigms shift. (Kuhn) Paradigms appear to contain conventions and methods (Shuttleworth). Paradigms include grounded theories that survive for a long time as well as the constant emergence of new insights. The most well-known and developed paradigms seem to correspond to fields of practice or scientific study (Levers).

Do the types of phenomena schemas and paradigms model differentiate the two structures? Is it that one is more procedural? Is one personal and the other accepted by a large group? Or something else entirely? How do the philosophical notions of 'schemas' and 'paradigms' differ?

Sources

Michalak - Cognitive Schema

Shuttleworth, Wilson - What is a paradigm?

Levers - What is a paradigm...

J D
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iceburger
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    Roughly, schemas are mental structures that work at the individual level for small scale conceptualization, paradigms are cultural frameworks that work at a social level to inscribe small scale conceptions into a global picture. But there is feedback between the two levels, and both terms are used so loosely that one should not expect this, or any other, distinction to be consistently maintained. – Conifold Nov 01 '20 at 03:08
  • Thanks for the detailed answer @Conifold. Back here after a while because, at risk of veering further into psychology, I'm wondering how prototypes fit into this equation? – iceburger Nov 30 '20 at 21:20

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