The Evolution
8
combined into the single entity "red cross," a new whole emerges, and
the links that this new entity forms over time can be expected to be
distinct from the links of its parts.
In what follows the type of link that "red" has with "red cross"
(that is to say the concept "red" with the image "red cross") will be
referred to as a part-whole link, since "red" tends to yield not
"cross," but rather "red cross," an entity memory treats as a single
whole capable of forming links distinct from the links of its parts.
In contrast, the link that exists between the concept "red cross"
and a concept such as, say, "disaster" will be referred to as a
whole-to-whole link, since "red cross" and "disaster," though linked,
are not merged by memory into a single whole having links distinct
from the links of its parts, but rather remain separate.
The following are some examples of part-whole links: "red" with
"fire engine"; "tube" with "straw"; "car" with "Cadillac"; "tree" with
"oak"; "powder" with "cocaine"; "sharp" with "spear"; and "liquid"
with "water," "alcohol," "mercury," etc.
The following are some examples of whole-to-whole links: "Africa"
with "zebra"; "Russia" with "vodka"; "Italy" with "pizza"; and "car"
with "oil," "gasoline," "grease," etc.
An examination of the above examples clearly reveals how part-whole
links may in practice be distinguished from whole-to-whole links.
Thus "red" is contained within "fire engine" (same color); "tube" is
contained within "straw" (same shape; i.e. "straw" is merely a par-