Single Idea 2539

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 1. Faculties]

Full Idea

The prevailing view in cognitive psychology is that the mind consists of separate faculties, each with a certain cognitive task: linguistic, social, practical, theoretical, abstract, spatial and emotional.

Gist of Idea

Mental modules for language, social, action, theory, space, emotion

Source

Colin McGinn (The Mysterious Flame [1999], p.40)

Book Reference

McGinn,Colin: 'The Mysterious Flame' [Basic Books 1999], p.40


A Reaction

'Faculties' are not quite the same as 'modules', and this list mostly involves more higher-order activities than a modules list (e.g. Idea 2495). The idea that emotion is a 'faculty' sounds old-fashioned.

Related Idea

Idea 2495 Obvious modules are language and commonsense explanation [Fodor]