Chomsky

Beschreibung

Noam Chomsky has made major contributions to three fields:political history and analysis, linguistics, and the philosophiesof mind, language, and human nature. In this thoroughly revised andupdated volume, James McGilvray provides a critical introduction toChomsky's work in these three key areas and assesses theircontinuing importance and relevance for today. In an incisive and comprehensive analysis, McGilvray argues thatChomsky's work can be seen as a unified intellectual project.He shows how Chomsky adapts the tools of natural science to thestudy of mind and of language in particular and explains whyChomsky's "rationalist" approach to the mind continues to beopposed by the majority of contemporary cognitive scientists. Thebook also discusses some of Chomsky's central politicalthemes in depth, examining how Chomsky's view of the good life andthe ideal form of social organization is related to and in partdependent on his biologically based account of human nature and theplace of language within it. As in the first edition, McGilvrayemphasizes the distinction between common sense and science and thedifference between rationalist and empiricist approaches to themind, making clear the importance of these themes for understandingChomsky's work and showing that they are based on elementaryobservations that are accessible to everyone. This edition has beenextensively re-written to emphasize Chomsky's recent work, whichincreasingly 'biologizes' the study of language and mind and - byimplication - the study of human nature. This book will be of interest to students and scholars ofphilosophy, linguistics, and politics, as well as to all those keento develop a critical understanding of one of the mostcontroversial and important thinkers writing today.

Autor*in

James McGilvray

Themen in »Chomsky«

Chomsky, Noam Geistesphilosophie Philosophie Philosophy Philosophy of Language Philosophy of Mind Political Ethics Politische Ethik Sprachphilosophie

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"This is a remarkably comprehensive yet accessible introduction to Chomsky's views about human nature, how to study it, and its various manifestations in language and politics. McGilvray's obvious enthusiasm for the subject is displayed in a text that is stunningly well researched, historically rich, empirically informed, and philosophically engaged throughout." Paul Pietroski, University of Maryland "McGilvray has achieved something extraordinary with this compact, accessible and penetrating text. Not only does he insightfully connect Chomsky's voluminous contributions to current affairs with his equally voluminous work in generative grammar and philosophy of mind and language, he also gets the complex synthesis exactly right. The result is a tour de force. From now on, his is the book on Chomsky that I will direct my students to." Robert Stainton, University of Western Ontario "This text highlights Chomsky's exceptional contribution to the science of language as a biological organ, to the naturalistic theory of mind, and to the view of political systems as means to meet the fundamental needs of humans. McGilvray cleverly evidences Chomsky's unification of the science of language, human nature and politics." Anna Maria Di Sciullo, University of Québec at Montréal "This book provides an accessible introduction to Chomsky. Researchers and students of linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science and politics will find it an interesting read." Political Studies Review
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