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Single Idea 12654

[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / a. Conceptual structure ]

Full Idea

You can think 'brown dog' without thinking 'cat', but you can't think 'brown dog' without thinking 'brown' and 'dog'.

Gist of Idea

You can't think 'brown dog' without thinking 'brown' and 'dog'

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (LOT 2 [2008], Ch.4.3)

Book Ref

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'LOT 2: the Language of Thought Revisited' [OUP 2008], p.112

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A Reaction

Fodor is talking about concepts in thought, not about words. The claim is that such concepts have to be compositional, and it is hard to disagree.