Conceptual change-multiple routes, multiple mechanisms: A commentary on Ohlsson (2009)

This article presents a commentary on Stellan Ohlsson's (2009) theory of conceptual change by resubsumption and competitive evaluation of cognitive utility. We note two features of Ohlsson's theory that we think are particularly strong. We then argue that Ohlsson's theory explains one route to conceptual change but that there are many other routes to conceptual change that require mechanisms other than Ohlsson's. We discuss a number of these multiple routes to conceptual change. Theories of conceptual change should attempt to explain the broad diversity of routes along which conceptual change occurs.