Key insights from
The Secrets of Words
What you'll learn
Noam Chomsky (1928-) is an American linguist who has written extensively on linguistics, philosophy, and politics. He is a prolific author, having written over one hundred books across numerous fields. He has been labeled “the father of modern linguistics” both because of his positive contributions and his debates with figures such as B.F. Skinner and Michel Foucault. Andrea Moro (1962-) is an Italian linguist who specializes in neurolinguistics. His research so far has explored the theoretical and experimental aspects of syntax. In The Secrets of Words, Chomsky and Moro engage in an informal dialogue about topics in linguistics, history, science, and philosophy. Chomsky particularly expresses hesitancy regarding the “euphoria” surrounding technological innovation and its capabilities, because of what it assumes about the nature of language and human cognition.
Key insights
- 1 There is no “complete system of language” to be discovered.
- 2 Language is not just an arbitrary cultural convention, it has some kind of biological basis that precedes experience.
- 3 We must be wary of our euphoria over technology and human knowledge.
- 4 Linguistics is partially a scientific discipline, and must be treated as such.
- 5 We must recognize our limits, both in linguistics and human knowledge.
- 6 We must learn to be surprised by simple facts.
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