[Revised entry by Max A. Freund and Richard E. Grandy on July 7, 2025.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
Sortals have played an instrumental role in resolving various theoretical challenges. They have helped tackle significant problems in multiple areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mind. Beyond philosophy, sortal concepts have proven relevant in psychological fields, especially in theories related to infant cognitive development and human perception. Moreover, they have been applied in computer science, notably in artificial intelligence and knowledge representation….

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