Language of thought hypothesis

The language of thought hypothesis (LOTH), sometimes known as thought ordered mental expression (TOME), is a view in <a href="/facts/Linguistics/oQuamvf2">linguistics</a>, <a href="/facts/Philosophy_of_mind/o6yNRjwd">philosophy of mind</a> and <a href="/facts/Cognitive_science/8qoggl7r">cognitive science</a>, put forward by American philosopher <a href="/facts/Jerry_Fodor/krKQL6MI">Jerry Fodor</a>. It describes the nature of thought as possessing "language-like" or compositional structure (sometimes known as mentalese). On this view, simple <a href="/facts/Concept/VWB6yhQp">concepts</a> combine in systematic ways (akin to the rules of <a href="/facts/Grammar/vprQsHIR">grammar</a> in language) to build <a href="/facts/Thought/loD3aFv9">thoughts</a>. In its most basic form, the theory states that thought, like language, has <a href="/facts/Syntax/6PxSV98p">syntax</a>.
Using empirical evidence drawn from linguistics and cognitive science to describe <a href="/facts/Mental_representation/dlny9gvs">mental representation</a> from a philosophical vantage-point, the hypothesis states that thinking takes place in a language of thought (LOT): <a href="/facts/Cognition/ga0tSBul">cognition</a> and cognitive processes are only 'remotely plausible' when expressed as a system of representations that is "tokened" by a linguistic or <a href="/facts/Semantic/1L4WwLAP">semantic</a> structure and operated upon by means of a <a href="/facts/Combinatorial/k14xUoKT">combinatorial</a> syntax. Linguistic tokens used in mental language describe elementary concepts which are operated upon by <a href="/facts/Logic_reasoning/NwR4hQva">logical rules</a> establishing <a href="/facts/Causal/Swh496X7">causal</a> connections to allow for complex thought. Syntax as well as semantics have a causal effect on the properties of this system of mental representations.
These mental representations are not present in the <a href="/facts/Human_brain/qfSwSB8K">brain</a> in the same way as <a href="/facts/Symbol/GS8mTn0h">symbols</a> are present on paper; rather, the LOT is supposed to exist at the cognitive level, the level of thoughts and concepts. The LOTH has wide-ranging significance for a number of domains in <a href="/facts/Cognitive_science/8qoggl7r">cognitive science</a>. It relies on a version of functionalist materialism, which holds that mental representations are actualized and modified by the individual holding the propositional attitude, and it challenges <a href="/facts/Eliminative_materialism/79zhrwr0">eliminative materialism</a> and <a href="/facts/Connectionism/P8It9YaE">connectionism</a>. It implies a strongly <a href="/facts/Rationalism/MNk171TG">rationalist</a> model of cognition in which many of the fundamentals of cognition are innate.

Language of thought hypothesis open-in-new

Language of thought hypothesis