"What we learn depends on how we classify." As a result, early thought depends more on wiring than on experience -- in particular, wired-in similarity relationships. The key thing to keep in mind about similarity is that it is relational. "For just as there is nothing to say about a single point, there's nothing to be said about an isolated sensory signal. When our REDNESS, TOUCH, or TOOTHACHE agents send their signals to our brains, each by itself can only say `I'm here." The rest of what such signals `mean' to us depends on how they're linked to all our other agencies."
(NB: First, relationships as far as Minsky is concerned appear to be relations among agents. Second, Minsky recounts the problems that Johnson faced with his dictionary, because relationships needed to be taken into account. We face a similar problem with our dictionary, but can deal with it (more effectively?) by taking advantage of relational links built into the HTML.)
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