Full Idea
Compare Churchland's strategy rooted in neurological modelling with "if it's flight you want to understand, what you need to look at is feathers".
Gist of Idea
Why bother with neurons? You don't explain bird flight by examining feathers
Source
Jerry A. Fodor (In a Critical Condition [2000], Ch. 8)
Book Reference
Fodor,Jerry A.: 'In Critical Condition' [MIT 2000], p.84
A Reaction
Sounds good, but may be a false analogy. You learn a lot about snake movement if you examine their scales.