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Class Quote by Jerry Fodor

“...there are special sciences not because of the nature of our epistemic relation to the world, but because of the way the world is put together: not all natural kinds (not all the classes of things and events about which there are important, counterfactual supporting generalizations to make) are…” quote by Jerry Fodor
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“...there are special sciences not because of the nature of our epistemic relation to the world, but because of the way the world is put together: not all natural kinds (not all the classes of things and events about which there are important, counterfactual supporting generalizations to make) are, or correspond to, physical natural kinds.”

Jerry Fodor

About This Quote

Source Book: The Language of Thought, Jerry Fodor, 1975

Some sciences exist due to the world's structure, not just our knowledge of it; they study categories that aren't purely physical.

In simple terms: Certain sciences arise from how reality is organized, not just our perspective.

Key Takeaway

Recognize non‑physical categories in research.

Themes

philosophy of mind science theory ontology

Mood

analytical inquisitive

Type

theoretical explanatory

When to use this quote

  • physics research
  • biology
  • social sciences
  • AI classification

Key Concepts

natural kinds counterfactuals semantic categories

Questions to Reflect On

  • What categories resist physical reduction?
  • How do we study non‑physical kinds?
A Different Perspective

Physicalism may overlook emergent properties.

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