Chomsky: Language, Mind, and Politics (Key Contemporary Thinkers) - Softcover

Mcgilvray, James

 
9780745618883: Chomsky: Language, Mind, and Politics (Key Contemporary Thinkers)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 074561888X ISBN 13: 9780745618883
Publisher: Polity, 1999

Synopsis

The key to Chomsky's overall intellectual project lies in what he has to say about a biologically based human nature.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

James McGilvray is Associate Professort in the Department of Philosophy, McGill University.

From the Back Cover

Noam Chomsky is well known as a linguist and as a political thinker. He is less well known as a philosopher. Yet his rationalist philosophy ties common-sense understandings of human action and decision (including political thought and action) to that human mental capacity we call language.

The key to Chomsky’s overall intellectual project lies in what he has to say about a biologically based human nature. McGilvray explains Chomsky’s view of human nature in the first three chapters. He begins by distinguishing common-sense understanding from scientific knowledge. He then outlines the scientific picture of the mind that Chomsky favours. Finally, by appealing to basic observations concerning how language is acquired and used, McGilvray shows why Chomsky adopts the view he does. The last five chapters outline Chomsky’s linguistic and political views and, by appeal to his biological-rationalist conception of human nature, explore the connections between them.

Chomsky’s revitalized rationalism has profound implications for both the science of the human mind (‘cognitive science’) and for an understanding of human action. No responsible individual can afford to ignore it.

From the Inside Flap

Noam Chomsky is well known as a linguist and as a political thinker. He is less well known as a philosopher. Yet his rationalist philosophy ties common-sense understandings of human action and decision (including political thought and action) to that human mental capacity we call language.

The key to Chomsky’s overall intellectual project lies in what he has to say about a biologically based human nature. McGilvray explains Chomsky’s view of human nature in the first three chapters. He begins by distinguishing common-sense understanding from scientific knowledge. He then outlines the scientific picture of the mind that Chomsky favours. Finally, by appealing to basic observations concerning how language is acquired and used, McGilvray shows why Chomsky adopts the view he does. The last five chapters outline Chomsky’s linguistic and political views and, by appeal to his biological-rationalist conception of human nature, explore the connections between them.

Chomsky’s revitalized rationalism has profound implications for both the science of the human mind (‘cognitive science’) and for an understanding of human action. No responsible individual can afford to ignore it.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Polity
Publication date
1999
Language
English
ISBN 10 
074561888X
ISBN 13 
9780745618883
Binding
Paperback
Edition number
1
Number of pages
288

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780745618876: Chomsky: Language, Mind, and Politics (Key Contemporary Thinkers)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  0745618871 ISBN 13:  9780745618876
Publisher: Polity Press, 1999
Hardcover