Single Idea 12622

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / d. Concepts as prototypes]

Full Idea

Many concepts have no prototypes; and there are many complex concepts whose prototypes aren't related to the prototypes of their constituents in the way compositional explanation of productivity and systematicity requires.

Gist of Idea

Many concepts lack prototypes, and complex prototypes aren't built from simple ones

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (Concepts:where cogn.science went wrong [1998], Ch.5)

Book Reference

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'Concepts: where cognitive science went wrong' [OUP 1998], p.100


A Reaction

His favourite example of the latter is 'pet fish', where the prototype of 'pet' is hardly ever a fish, and the prototype of 'fish' is usually much bigger than goldfish. Fodor is arguing that concepts are atomic.