Single Idea 4938

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 5. Universals as Concepts]

Full Idea

Before language is present, concepts depend on the brain's ability to construct 'universals' through higher-order mapping of the activity of the brain's own perceptual and motor maps.

Gist of Idea

Prior to language, concepts are universals created by self-mapping of brain activity

Source

G Edelman / G Tononi (Consciousness: matter becomes imagination [2000], Ch.15)

Book Reference

Edelman,G/Tononi,G: 'Consciousness: how matter becomes imagination' [Penguin 2000], p.196


A Reaction

It should be of great interest to philosophers that one can begin to give a neuro-physiological account of universals. A physical system can be ordered as a database, and universals are the higher branches of a tree-structure of information.