Evaluating Cartesian Linguistics - From Historical Antecedents to Computational Modeling

This book evaluates Noam Chomsky's contributions to linguistics and focuses on the historical justification for Cartesian Linguistics, the evolution of Chomsky's theorizing, empirical language acquisition work, and computational modeling of language learning. Chomsky claims that his view is situated within a rationalist Cartesian tradition and that only rationalists can account for all aspects of language. The work challenges both claims. Chomsky projects his own convictions onto Cartesians and his recent work has not lived up to early promises. The Minimalist Program has failed to produce scientific results, and empirical work in developmental psychology and computational modeling further challenge Chomsky's rationalist dogma.

List of contents

Contents: Chomsky's generative grammar within Cartesian, rationalist philosophy - Critical analysis of Chomsky's intellectual contribution - Innateness hypothesis - Minimalist Program - Empirical findings in developmental psychology - Computational modeling of language acquisition.

About the author

Christina Behme holds a PhD in Philosophy from Dalhousie University (Canada) and a MSc in Marine Biology from Rostock University (Germany). She specializes in Cartesian philosophy, philosophy of language, language acquisition, and language evolution.

Product details

• Authors: Christina Behme
• Publisher: Peter Lang
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.01.2014
• EAN: 9783631645512
• ISBN: 978-3-631-64551-2
• No. of pages: 267
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 22 mm x 210 mm
• Weight: 450 g
• Series: Potsdam Linguistic Investigations / Potsdamer Linguistische Untersuchungen / Recherches Linguistiques à Potsdam; Potsdam Linguistic Investigations / Potsdamer Linguistische Untersuchungen / Recherches Linguistique; Potsdam Linguistic Investigations / Potsdamer Linguistische Untersuchungen / Recherches Linguistiques à Potsdam; Potsdam Linguistic Investigations; Potsdam Linguistic Investigations / Potsdamer Linguistische Untersuchungen / Recherches Linguistique
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Other languages / Other literatures