Generalizations, concepts, and pseudoconcepts: The subjective content of epistemic violence

Abstract

Barbara Held’s article (2020) challenges the “for/about prepositional divide” (p. 349), which is presumed by critical and Indigenous psychologies, at two empirical and epistemological levels. I argue that Held’s critique can be further strengthened empirically, with reference to Lev Vygotsky’s analysis of the relation between spontaneous and scientific concepts, and epistemologically, with reference to Evald Ilyenkov’s treatment of concepts in contrast to mere notions.