Linguistic (ir-)realities : a heuristic critique of the meta-theoretical foundations of generativism
The thesis aims to provide a heuristic critique of the meta-theoretical foundations of Chomsky's project for an explanatory linguistics. The critique is 'heuristic' in that it attempts to take the considerations adduced to indicate how those conceptual foundations are to be re-designed on lines parallel to constructivism in the philosophy of mathematics. The net result is the provision of an outline of a meta-theoretic rationale for a process orientated linguistic theory (e.g. Kempson et al.'s LDSNL framework). The thesis investigates, and is organized around, three central strands of the Chomskyan paradigm: 1) The mathematization of linguistics: the use of formal/mathematical systems as theory constitutive metaphors. 2) A scientific realist (as opposed to instrumentalist) construal of linguistic theories. 3) A conceptualist/psychologist ontology for linguistic objects with a concomitant explanation for the nature of the linguistic in terms of properties of the modularized human ~mind/brain~ articulated through a system of mental representations. The central conclusions drawn are: 1) There is a failure to achieve adequate warrant for a scientific realist construal of Chomskyan linguistic theories. 2) The object(s)
Davidson, Andrew Charles
Chomsky
Linguistic (ir-)realities : a heuristic critique of the meta-theoretical foundations of generativism. The thesis aims to provide a heuristic critique of the meta-theoretical foundations of Chomsky's project for an explanatory linguistics. The critique is 'heuristic' in that it attempts to take the considerations adduced to indicate how those conceptual foundations are to be re-designed on lines parallel to constructivism in the philosophy of mathematics. The net result is the provision of an outline of a meta-theoretic rationale for a process orientated linguistic theory (e.g. Kempson et al.'s LDSNL framework). The thesis investigates, and is organized around, three central strands of the Chomskyan paradigm: 1) The mathematization of linguistics: the use of formal/mathematical systems as theory constitutive metaphors. 2) A scientific realist (as opposed to instrumentalist) construal of linguistic theories. 3) A conceptualist/psychologist ontology for linguistic objects with a concomitant explanation for the nature of the linguistic in terms of properties of the modularized human ~mind/brain~ articulated through a system of mental representations. The central conclusions drawn are: 1) There is a failure to achieve adequate warrant for a scientific realist construal of Chomskyan linguistic theories. 2) The object(s)
linguistic reality heuristic critique meta_theoretical foundation aim_provide heuristic critique meta_theoretical foundation chomsky project explanatory linguistics critique heuristic attempt take_consideration adduce indicate conceptual foundation designed line parallel constructivism philosophy_mathematics net provision outline meta theoretic rationale process orientate linguistic_theory framework investigates organize around central strand chomskyan paradigm linguistics use formal mathematical system theory constitutive metaphor scientific realist opposed construal linguistic_theory psychologist ontology linguistic object concomitant explanation nature linguistic term property human_mind brain articulate system mental_representation central conclusion_drawn failure achieve adequate warrant scientific realist construal chomskyan linguistic_theory object