Introduction to Part I: Notes on research methods -- The inductive potential of categories -- Hidden, nonobvious properties -- Children's conceptions of nature and nurture -- Causal explanations, causal determinism -- Conclusions to Part I -- What parents say--and do not say--about essences -- Essentialism in language -- Theory theories and DAM theories -- Unfinished business -- Why do we essentialize?
Summary
This text synthesizes 15 years of empirical research on essentialism into a coherent framework, examining children's thinking and ways in which language influences thought. It shows that children do not come into the world as passive recipients of data
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 335-367) and indexes
