Toward an Epistemic-Logical Theory of Categorization

TL;DR

This paper develops a formal epistemic logic framework for understanding how agents perceive and categorize objects based on features, integrating insights from psychology, sociology, and organization theory.

Contribution

It introduces a sound and complete epistemic logic of categorization with Kripke-style semantics tailored for decision-making contexts.

Findings

Formalizes core categorization concepts using logic

Provides a semantic framework based on object and feature domains

Bridges psychological and organizational theories through logic

Abstract

Categorization systems are widely studied in psychology, sociology, and organization theory as information-structuring devices which are critical to decision-making processes. In the present paper, we introduce a sound and complete epistemic logic of categories and agents' categorical perception. The Kripke-style semantics of this logic is given in terms of data structures based on two domains: one domain representing objects (e.g. market products) and one domain representing the features of the objects which are relevant to the agents' decision-making. We use this framework to discuss and propose logic-based formalizations of some core concepts from psychological, sociological, and organizational research in categorization theory.