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A M ead‐ C homsky Comparison Reveals a Set of Key Questions on the Nature of Language and Mind
Author(s) -
Gallagher Timothy J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal for the theory of social behaviour
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.615
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5914
pISSN - 0021-8308
DOI - 10.1111/jtsb.12035
Subject(s) - set (abstract data type) , key (lock) , context (archaeology) , cognition , linguistics , cognitive science , psychology , epistemology , sociology , computer science , philosophy , history , computer security , archaeology , neuroscience , programming language
The social psychologist G eorge H erbert M ead and the cognitive linguist N oam C homsky both investigated the nature of language and mind during the 20 th century. They approached the issues broadly, pursuing both philosophical and scientific lines of reasoning and evidence. This comparative analysis of M ead and C homsky identifies fourteen questions that summarize their collective effort, and which animated much of the debate concerning language and mind in the 20 th century. These questions continue to be relevant to 21 st century inquiries. This paper identifies which questions have been resolved and which have not, and discusses each in the context of relevant literature. The net result is a set of questions that inform interdisciplinary‐minded inquiries today into the nature of language and mind.