The Mind Doesn't Work That Way

The Scope and Limits of Computational Psychology

Jerry A. Fodor

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"The Mind Doesn't Work That Way" by Jerry A. Fodor is a captivating exploration of how the mind functions. Fodor critically examines popular theories that propose the mind operates as a computer or follows simple algorithms. With razor-sharp analysis, he challenges the idea that the mind can be reduced to a set of computational processes.

In this thought-provoking book, Fodor argues that the mind's intricate operations cannot be adequately understood through computational models alone. He highlights the limitations of computational theories, revealing how they oversimplify complex cognitive processes such as language acquisition, perception, and problem-solving.

Fodor proposes an alternative hypothesis called the "modularity of mind," which suggests that the mind is composed of specialized cognitive modules that are responsible for specific tasks. He presents compelling evidence from various domains, including language, vision, and reasoning, to support his theory.

Throughout the book, Fodor engages with opposing viewpoints and offers insightful critiques of alternative theories, shedding light on the fundamental flaws of these approaches.

"The Mind Doesn't Work That Way" is a must-read for anyone interested in cognitive science, philosophy of mind, or psychology. Fodor's comprehensive analysis challenges conventional wisdom and seeks to redefine our understanding of how the mind truly operates.

Explore More Books

See All
Obvious Adams
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
The Wager
Musashi
Destined For War
Who We Are and How We Got Here
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Dirt to Soil
King Lear
The Blue Sweater
God's Debris
A Splendid Exchange
The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty
Nudge
Neuromancer
The Great Mental Models
American Nations
Incognito
Kochland
Ringworld
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
Eating Animals
The Jewish Century
Something Like an Autobiography
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Art of  Scientific Investigation
The Fourth Turning
Technofeudalism
Physics of the Future
Stories of Your Life and Others
The Big Score
The Man Who Solved The Market
Recapturing The Spirit Of Enterprise
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Creativity, Inc.
Building the Intentional University
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Math, Better Explained
The Unquiet Grave
Bad For You
Scaling People
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
What is Life?
Road to Wigan Pier
In Over Our Heads
Prosperity
Fewer
The Lizard King
Social Cognition
A Mind At Play
The Essays of Schopenhauer
The Dream of Reason
End of Illness
Stumbling on Happiness
Automate This
The 4 Hour Body
Investment Biker
Creative Selection
The Doors of Perception
Citizen Coke
Thermoinfocomplexity
You
Who
Adult Children of Alcoholics
The Gospel of Wealth
A Father First
James Turrell
Where Good Ideas Come From
Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life
Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
The Hydrogen Sonata
Midnight In Chernobyl
Cryptonomicon
Secrets of Closing the Sale
The Power Broker
Charged
Tools and Weapons
Deep Medicine
Tribe
Think Again
Getting It Done
Rise of the Robots
The Global Macro Edge
Entangled Life
Conscious Business
Taxes Have Consequences
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The New Jim Crow
The Ordeal of Civility
The Little Bitcoin Book
Happiness
Biography of the Dollar
Future Forward
The New One
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish
Man's Search for Meaning
Loonshots
The Underdog Founder
Prisoners of Geography