Includes bibliographical references (pages 139-145).
Contents
1. Four Accounts of Mental Structure -- 2. A Functional Taxonomy of Cognitive Mechanisms -- 3. Input Systems as Modules -- 4. Central Systems -- 5. Caveats and Conclusions.
Summary
This study synthesizes current information from the various fields of cognitive science in support of a new and exciting theory of mind. Most psychologists study horizontal processes like memory and information flow; Fodor postulates a vertical and modular psychological organization underlying biologically coherent behaviors. This view of mental architecture is consistent with the historical tradition of faculty psychology while integrating a computational approach to mental processes. One of the most notable aspects of Fodor's work is that it articulates features not only of speculative cognitive architectures but also of current research in artificial intelligence. -- Publisher description.
