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Single Idea 22186
[filed under theme 18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 3. Modularity of Mind
]
Full Idea
Fodor argues that mental modules have three important featuresL 1) they are domain-specific, 2) their operation is mandatory, 3) they are informationally encapsulated.
Gist of Idea
Mental modules are specialised, automatic, and isolated
Source
report of Jerry A. Fodor (The Modularity of Mind [1983]) by Samir Okasha - Philosophy of Science: Very Short Intro (2nd ed) 6
Book Ref
Okasha,Samir: 'Philosophy of Science: very short intro (2nd ed)' [OUP 2016], p.107
A Reaction
Mandatory is interesting. When I hear an English sentence I can't decide not to process it. Modules cannot be too isolated or they couldn't participate in the team. Each one needs a comms manager.
The
14 ideas
with the same theme
[theory of separate units of the mind/brain]:
7845
|
When we need to do something, we depute an inner servant to remind us of it
[Proust]
|
2491
|
Modules have encapsulation, inaccessibility, private concepts, innateness
[Fodor]
|
2497
|
Something must take an overview of the modules
[Fodor]
|
2495
|
Obvious modules are language and commonsense explanation
[Fodor]
|
2499
|
Modules analyse stimuli, they don't tell you what to do
[Fodor]
|
2498
|
Modules make the world manageable
[Fodor]
|
2496
|
Blindness doesn't destroy spatial concepts
[Fodor]
|
2500
|
Babies talk in consistent patterns
[Fodor]
|
2507
|
Rationality rises above modules
[Fodor]
|
2509
|
Modules have in-built specialist information
[Fodor]
|
22186
|
Mental modules are specialised, automatic, and isolated
[Fodor, by Okasha]
|
3171
|
Children speak 90% good grammar
[Rey]
|
3174
|
Good grammar can't come simply from stimuli
[Rey]
|
4928
|
Brain complexity balances segregation and integration, like a good team of specialists
[Edelman/Tononi]
|