Generalic

Generalic is a term used in some philosophical, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence discussions to denote an emphasis on generality or broad applicability across contexts, rather than on domain-specific details. It is not a widely standardized concept with a single definition, but rather a family of notions that stress cross-domain patterns, abstractions, or principles that hold beyond a single domain.

Etymology and relationship to related terms: generalic derives from the root general with the -ic suffix. It is distinct from generic, which often signals a kind of representative or non-specific item, and from generality, which denotes broad scope. In use, generalic ideas are intended to highlight cross-cutting features that unify diverse phenomena rather than isolate them to narrow cases.

Definitions and senses: as an adjective, a generalic theory or model seeks broad explanatory power with relatively few domain-specific assumptions. as a noun, a generalic viewpoint favors general principles over particular instances. in cognitive science and AI, generalic reasoning refers to approaches that aim for transferability and adaptability across tasks, in contrast to highly specialized, domain-specific methods.

Contexts and usage: in philosophy of science, generalic explanations are discussed as alternatives to highly modular or reductionist accounts. in AI, proponents may argue for generalic learning systems that generalize well to unseen tasks. in linguistics or social science, generalic accounts attempt to describe phenomena with models applicable across languages or cultures.

Note: due to its lack of formal standardization, generalic usage varies and is most often found in introductory discussions, thought experiments, or as a coinage within debates about generality and abstraction.

See also: generalization, generality, generic programming, generalist, abstraction.