more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Atomism must be right about the individuation of concepts because compositionality demands it.
Clarification
'Compositionality' is building up thoughts from components
Gist of Idea
Compositionality requires that concepts be atomic
Source
Jerry A. Fodor (LOT 2 [2008], Ch1)
Book Ref
Fodor,Jerry A.: 'LOT 2: the Language of Thought Revisited' [OUP 2008], p.20
A Reaction
I suppose this seems right, though Fodor's own example of 'pet fish' is interesting. What is supposed to happen when you take a concept like 'pet' and put it with 'fish', given that both components shift their atomic (?) meaning in the process?
12131 | All concepts can be derived from a few basics, making possible one science of everything [Carnap, by Brody] |
12629 | For the referential view of thought, the content of a concept is just its reference [Fodor] |
12631 | Compositionality requires that concepts be atomic [Fodor] |
11139 | Maybe concepts have no structure, and determined by relations to the world, not to other concepts [Margolis/Laurence] |