New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind

Outstanding and unique contribution to the philosophical study of language and mind by Noam Chomsky.

Noam Chomsky (Author), Neil Smith (Foreword by)

9780521658225, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 April 2000

250 pages
22.6 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.36 kg

'This is a very important book; not just because a lot of what it says is true, but also because Chomsky is a very important thinker.' Jerry Fodor, The Times Literary Supplement

This book is an outstanding contribution to the philosophical study of language and mind, by one of the most influential thinkers of our time. In a series of penetrating essays, Chomsky cuts through the confusion and prejudice which has infected the study of language and mind, bringing new solutions to traditional philosophical puzzles and fresh perspectives on issues of general interest, ranging from the mind-body problem to the unification of science. Using a range of imaginative and deceptively simple linguistic analyses, Chomsky defends the view that knowledge of language is internal to the human mind. He argues that a proper study of language must deal with this mental construct. According to Chomsky, therefore, human language is a 'biological object' and should be analyzed using the methodology of the sciences. His examples and analyses come together in this book to give a unique and compelling perspective on language and the mind.

Foreword by Neil Smith
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. New horizons in the study of language
2. Explaining language use
3. Language and interpretation: philosophical reflections and empirical inquiry
4. Naturalism and dualism in the study of language and mind
5. Language as a natural object
6. Language from an internalist perspective
7. Internalist explorations
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Psycholinguistics [CFD]