Putting Matters in Perspective

Abstract

In a broad outline, the foregoing ten chapters are a partial vindication of Fodor and Pylyshyn’s brand of Classicism. Classicism explains some of the systematic relations in thought, where rival theories, such as Connectionism and Functional Combinatorialism do not. Thus, we have some defeasible reason to believe in Classicism, rather than it rivals. While this leaves us in essentially the same position as did Fodor and Pylyshyn’s critique, this does not mean that no progress has been made in the present study. This final chapter can now briefly spell out just exactly what progress has been made here. In addition, we can review some of most significant challenges that remain in coming to fully understand and evaluate the significance of the productivity and systematicity arguments.