John Collins On Chomsky

About this feature

In this Humanities Conversations interview, Dominik speaks with John Collins, author of 'Chomsky: The Guide for the Perplexed'. The discussion focuses on the work of Noam Chomsky, exploring his roles as a linguist, philosopher, and political activist. Key moments include an outline of the 'Three Chomskys', an explanation of Universal Grammar, and a discussion on the distinction between linguistic competence and performance.

In this Humanities Conversations interview, Dominik speaks with John Collins, author of 'Chomsky: The Guide for the Perplexed'. Collins outlines three perspectives of Noam Chomsky: as a linguist, a philosopher/meta-theorist, and a political activist whose prominence grew during the mid-1960s Vietnam conflict. The discussion covers the shift from descriptive to generative linguistics, the concept of Universal Grammar, and the modularity of the mind, which Collins compares to a stereo system. Collins further explores the distinction between linguistic competence and performance, arguing that the biological capacity for language provides humans with a creative autonomy that serves as a moral boundary against societal engineering.

Topics

• The evolution of Noam Chomsky's academic and political work.
• The distinction between generative linguistics and descriptive linguistics.
• The relationship between finite brain capacity and infinite linguistic competence.
• The relationship between syntax and semantics
• Competence versus performance in linguistics
• The influence of mathematics and science on linguistic modelling
• Modularity of the mind
• Universal Grammar and language acquisition
• The philosophy of language and purpose
• Evolution of language and natural selection
• The relationship between linguistics and political activism
• Creative autonomy and human nature

Participants

• Dominik
• John Collins
• Unidentified speaker