Definitionv1
Constructed categories: classification systems that are
Constructed categories: classification systems that are built by humans for specific purposes rather than discovered as natural features of reality, with each category serving a particular function and creating feedback loops that change the behavior of those classified.
Why This Is a Definition
This definition establishes the key distinction between discovered and constructed categories, specifies that they are built by humans for specific purposes, and identifies their functional role (serving purposes) and their distinctive characteristic (creating feedback loops that change behavior). It uses the precise semantic boundary of 'built by humans for specific purposes' to distinguish from natural or discovered categories, and includes the crucial 'looping effect' that makes this concept epistemologically significant.