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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page review of this theory of human thought and how it relates to language. Fodor argued that thoughts occur in a kind of mentalese. Fodor’s Language of Thought theory is interesting in its relation to the work of others in the field who argue over whether language is an innate or acquired characteristic and how animals and humans differ both in their ability to think and in their ability to verbally express those thoughts. This paper compares this theory to the Sapir Whorf hypothesis to conclude the Sapir Whorf hypothesis falls short refuting Fodor. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: AM2_PPlngTht.rtf
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processes which govern human thought are highly debated. Most researchers feel that language and thought are intricately connected. From a human context we know that language is a
skill which allows us to communicate our thoughts to others and in so doing to attain desired "biological, cognitive, and social/behavioral feedback" (McDonnell, 1977). Thought, however, must exist if
language is to occur. Exactly how thought occurs is a question which has occupied the minds of many of the worlds greatest thinkers. Jerry Fodors views on this
question were first published in 1975. Fodor argued that thoughts occur in a kind of mentalese. Fodors Language of Thought theory is interesting in its relation to the
work of others in the field who argue over whether language is an innate or acquired characteristic and how animals and humans differ both in their ability to think and
in their ability to verbally express those thoughts. Fodors Language of Thought Theory is especially interesting when compared to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, a
hypothesis developed by Benjamin Lee Whorf (a linguist and anthropologist) and Edward Sapir. The Sapir-Whorf theory argues that language is a finite array of lexical and grammatical categories that
group experiences into usable classes which vary across cultures but influence thought. The theory maintains that a concept cannot be understood without an appropriate word for that concept.
The contrast between these two theories can best be illustrated with a consideration of humans verses animals. While it is obvious that humans
have language, and consequently the thought patterns which drive that language, this is not so obvious in animals. Not only does man have language, he often applies that capability
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