Chomsky and His Critics

In this compelling volume, ten distinguished thinkers – William G. Lycan, Jeffrey Poland, Galen Strawson, Frances Egan, Georges Rey, Peter Ludlow, Paul Horwich, Paul M. Pietroski, Alison Gopnik, and Ruth Garrett Millikan – address a variety of conceptual issues raised in Noam Chomsky′s work on mind and language. Topics covered include: the ontological commitments inherent in a Chomskian approach to linguistic competence the possibility of systematic referential semantics for natural language whether we can learn anything about the foundations of language by adopting an evolutionary perspective whether the ‘theory theory’ in developmental psychology counters Chomsky′s arguments for nativism the relevance and urgency of the mind–body problem in the post–Newtonian world. These analyses are followed by substantial responses from Chomsky himself. The result is a provocative and engaging discussion of Chomsky’s work on questions of central importance to theories of mind and language.

Notes on Contributors. Acknowledgements. Introduction: Norbert Hornstein (University of Maryland, College Park) and Louise M. Antony (The Ohio State University). 1. Chomsky on the Mind–Body Problem: William G. Lycan (University of North Carolina). 2. Chomsky′s Challenge to Physicalism: Jeffrey Poland (University of Nebraska–Lincoln). 3. Real Materialism: Galen Strawson (University of Reading). 4. Naturalistic Inquiry: Where does Mental Representation Fit In?: Frances Egan (Rutgers University). 5. Chomsky, Intentinality and a CRTT: Georges Rey (University of Maryland, College Park). 6. Referential Semantics for I–languages?: Peter Ludlow (State University of New York, Stony Brook). 7. Meaning and Its Place in the Language Faculty: Paul Horwich (Graduate Center of the City University of New York). 8. Small Verbs, Complex Events: Analyticity without Synonymy: Paul M. Pietroski (University of Maryland, College Park). 9. In Defense of Public Language: Ruth Garrett Millikan (University of Connecticut). 10. The Theory Theory as an Alternative to the Innateness Hypothesis: Alison Gopnik (Universtiy of California at Berkeley). 11. Replies: Noam Chomsky (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). 12. Major Works By and About Noam Chomsky (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Index.

Louise M. Antony is Professor of Philosophy and Women′s Studies at The Ohio State University. She is editor, with Charlotte Witt, of A Mind of One′s Own: Feminist Essays on Reason and Objectivity , 2nd edn. (2002). Norbert Hornstein is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is the author of Move! A Minimalist Theory of Construal (Blackwell, 2000), Logical Form: From GB to Minimalism (Blackwell, 1995),and As Time Goes By: Tense and Universal Grammar (1994).

"When intellectual histories of the twentieth century are written, Noam Chomsky will surely be acknowledged as one of its major figures. Given his enormous influence, it is imperative that Chomsky′s ideas be scrutinized, and I can′t think of a better arena than this book, in which Chomsky and his critics are given the elbow room to work out their disagreements with the subtlety and depth that they deserve." Steven Pinker, MIT, and author of The Language Instinct <!––end––> "More than forty years ago, Noam Chomsky began a revolution in the way that philosophers think about the mind and about language. The essays in this fine volume make it clear that the Chomskian revolution is still very much underway and that we are far from agreement on the implications of Chomsky’s work. These cutting–edge essays – and Chomsky’s characteristically insightful replies – are full of fresh insights and acute arguments. They are essential reading for anyone interested in the extraordinary impact Chomsky has had on philosophy." Stephen Stich, Rutgers University "This is a first–rate volume for advanced students and scholars in philosophy, linguistics, and cognitive science that will advance understanding of Chomsky′s work for years to come." C hoice "This is a first–rate volume for advanced students and scholars in philosophy, linguistics, and cognitive science that will advance understanding of Chomsky′s work for years to come." Choice, December 2003