Rule-driven category creation produces both discovery and dead categories

Evidence

This creation of types could be a good thing. New phenomena require names and conceptualizing. New biological species need description. So the exhaustive rule could lead to a whole new research agenda. However, in many situations the new types are just there to fulfill the exhaustive rule, and are not of any real interest to the researcher. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts and Measurement, 1266

Categorization

• SEED: Angle: ‘The Taxonomy Trap’ — when the demand for exhaustive categories manufactures zombie concepts that appear once and never again.