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Noam Chomsky Vs. B. F. Skinner

Ariel Raphaeli・42 minutes read

Children learn the language of their environment, with universal grammar being genetically based, leading to the ability to understand and produce language. Language acquisition is influenced by genetic properties, environmental factors, and social sanctions, shaping moral attitudes and behavior.

Insights

  • Language acquisition is heavily influenced by environmental factors rather than genetic programming, with children learning the language of the environment they are raised in, challenging the notion of a genetic basis for language learning.
  • The principles of universal grammar, which underlie language acquisition, may have evolved due to a small genetic mutation interacting with general principles of computational efficiency, showcasing the intricate relationship between genetics and language development.

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Recent questions

  • How do children learn language?

    Children learn language from their environment.

  • What did Chomsky critique about language acquisition?

    Chomsky critiqued Skinner's behaviorist model of language acquisition.

  • Are moral principles innate?

    David Hume suggested moral principles are innate.

  • What is universal grammar?

    Universal grammar refers to the genetic component of language.

  • How does culture influence behavior?

    Culture plays a significant role in shaping behavior.

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Summary

00:00

Language Acquisition: Genetic vs Environmental Influence

  • Language acquisition is not genetically programmed; children raised in different environments learn the language of that environment.
  • The basic structure of languages is essentially the same, with variations being superficial.
  • Scientists aim to determine the fundamental principles that govern language acquisition under specific circumstances.
  • Similar principles likely apply to other aspects of human intelligence, understanding, interpretation, moral judgment, and aesthetic judgment.
  • Chomsky critiqued Skinner's behaviorist model of language acquisition, emphasizing the genetic basis of language learning.
  • Mainstream biology assumes that capacities like language learning are based on genetic properties.
  • David Hume suggested that moral principles are innate, based on observations of consistent moral decision-making.
  • Structuralism, represented by Chomsky, aims to explain behavior without appealing to prior causes, a view Skinner disagrees with.
  • Behaviorism, according to Skinner, does not dehumanize individuals but rather focuses on genetic endowment and environmental influences.
  • Skinner argues that behavior modification through environmental changes leads to humane treatment, contrasting with genetic determinism that can lead to violence.

19:49

Evolution of Moral Attitudes and Universal Grammar

  • Dr. Skinner believes moral attitudes are shaped by external factors, particularly social sanctions from childhood throughout life.
  • Humans have evolved a moral sense due to constructing social environments that encourage behavior for the good of others.
  • People behave morally due to social sanctions, not inherent morality.
  • Sociologists observe universal phenomena like the institution of the family, influenced by genetic endowment and environmental factors.
  • Universal grammar refers to the genetic component of the language faculty, with fixed principles and variable parameters.
  • Humans possess a genetic capacity for language, developed recently in evolutionary time, leading to the ability to understand and produce language.
  • Efforts to understand universal grammar have evolved, with a focus on fixed principles and variable parameters.
  • The principles of universal grammar may have evolved due to a small mutation interacting with general principles of computational efficiency.
  • Research aims to show that the complexity of language principles can be explained by non-linguistic principles and a capacity for recursive enumeration.
  • The goal is to demonstrate that the principles of universal grammar can be accounted for by general principles of computational efficiency, potentially resulting from a small genetic mutation.

37:53

Evolutionary process shapes conscious verbal behavior.

  • Evolutionary process enabled vocal musculature to be under voluntary control, leading to the emergence of speech for effective communication.
  • Consciousness and awareness are viewed as social products, with individuals becoming conscious through interactions and questions from others.
  • Behavior begins as unconscious but can become conscious through analysis of external conditions and bodily states.
  • Culture plays a significant role in sharing experiences and advice, allowing individuals to benefit from others' knowledge and avoid exploratory behavior.
  • Governmental and scientific laws are seen as descriptions of behavior and consequences, serving as guidance instead of shaping behavior directly.
  • Instructions and advice are crucial in guiding behavior efficiently, saving time and effort in finding desired outcomes.
  • Cognitive psychology focuses on providing reasons for behavior, but Freud highlighted the limitations of relying solely on reasons for behavior change.
  • Therapists face challenges in changing behavior solely through reasons, as reinforcing consequences often outweigh logical reasons.
  • Verbal behavior is shaped by verbal environments and reinforcement, differing from non-verbal behavior in the nature of its reinforcements.
  • The listener's role in verbal behavior involves responding to stimuli, whether verbal or non-verbal, with comprehension and processing of information.

56:34

Listener behavior crucial in verbal interactions.

  • Emphasizes the importance of considering the behavior of the listener in addition to the speaker in verbal interactions, highlighting the significance of physiological changes, particularly in the nervous system, that occur during verbal behavior and the necessity of collaboration between behaviorists and physiologists to understand these changes.
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