tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021972615680221295.post7597812726986442809..comments2023-05-25T13:17:24.082+00:00Comments on Language, Life and Logic: The two Noam ChomskysMark Englishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03506844097173520312noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021972615680221295.post-36896136305302907052013-01-05T03:14:15.408+00:002013-01-05T03:14:15.408+00:00The question of how we learn or form new concepts ...The question of how we learn or form new concepts is not one I know a lot about. Chomsky focused much more on syntax than semantics. Or perhaps you are referring to cognitive abilities more generally, how our brains develop such abilities (1) as distinct from how mature brains deploy them (2)?<br /><br />Chomsky is rather too inclined to make inferences from the latter to the former.<br /><br />And, by the way, I have just reread the links. Pullum's lucid (and quite devastating) attack on Chomsky highlights very effectively Chomsky's bias against empirical approaches.Mark Englishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03506844097173520312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021972615680221295.post-11666726096645028412013-01-04T12:18:35.146+00:002013-01-04T12:18:35.146+00:00I'm inclined to think that debate in this fiel...I'm inclined to think that debate in this field runs together two different issues: (1) how do children learn new concepts? and (2) how do new concepts arise?<br /><br />I see these as completely different matters. New concepts are created by rational adults; new concepts are learnt by little children. Both are fascinating processes but nothing that pertains to the second sheds light on the first.<br /><br />Chomsky made some important points about the second but did he help us understand the first?Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16898681927233029900noreply@blogger.com