"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Do we deduce rules from the world around us and behave rationally? Or do we free-associate, discovering the world through experience and creative analogy? The obvious answer is "both". But proof of the obvious answer has long eluded philosophers of mind. Pinker, though, believes he has found it--in the English past tense.
English verbs come in two flavours. Regular verbs have past tenses that look like the present-tense verb with "-ed" on the end--today I walk, yesterday I walked, etc. The second kind of English verb is irregular. Irregular past tenses follow no rules--today I buy, but yesterday I bought; today I hold, yesterday I held.
The way children distinguish between these different sorts of verbs as they learn to talk suggests they learn both by rule and by association. Proving this is Pinker's task--and it's a bravura performance.
It takes nothing away from that other recent lit-hit, Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue, to say that Pinker's book achieves an altogether deeper level of profundity. It says much for Pinker that in doing so, he can still match Bryson for wit and readability. --Simon Ings
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-0060958405-new
Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition. Seller Inventory # bk0060958405xvz189zvxnew
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. Perfect condition disinfected. Book. Seller Inventory # ABE-1664472452365
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. 1st Edition. STORED NEW PRISTINE CONDITION SANITIZED THEN WRAPPED. Book. Seller Inventory # ABE-1673891885931
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. In shrink wrap. Seller Inventory # 40-13139
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0060958405
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0060958405
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think0060958405
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. reprint edition. 368 pages. 8.00x5.25x0.75 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # 0060958405
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 0.45. Seller Inventory # Q-0060958405