Abstract
The Specified Subject Condition (henceforth SSC) and the Tensed SCondit~ on (henceforth TSC) were proposed in the early seventies by Chomsky as principles of universal grammar, restricting the application of both syntactic movement transformations and rules of semantic interpretation. An early informal reference to these conditions can be found in (Chomsky 1971:34-40). The first detailed technical discussion of the SSC and TSC appeared in "Conditions on transformations" (henceforth (Chomsky 1973)). Since the publication of the latter work, these two conditions have played a fundamental role in the theory of universal grammar (henceforth UG) within the Chomskyan approach to the study of language. The developmental history of these two conditions in fact provides us with helpful insight into important aspects of both the substantive and the methodological developments which Chomsky's general linguistic theory has undergone within The time has come for psychologists and linguists to adopt "the Galilean style" of inquiry in the study both of mind in general and of language in particular. Such is the position more than once argued for by Chomsky in recent writings. On the face of it, "the Galilean style" ~s a new mode of ~nqu~ry ~n theoretical linguistcs; the overall aim of this essay ~s to see how this apparent novelty holds up under methodological analysis. Before turning to a number of specific questions about "the Galilean style", however, it will be in order to take a brief look at the main components of Chomsky's argument for the adoption of this mode of inquiry the past decade.
Highlights
The time has come for psychologists and linguists to adopt "the Galilean style" of inquiry in the study both of mind in general and of language in particular
The following points have been central to the discussion of the preceding paragraphs: 1. Certain aspects of Chomsky's mode of linguistic inquiry can be elucidated by analyzing specific episodes ~n the recent history of generative grammar against the background of revealing philosophical reconstructions of historically real episodes in the work of Galileo: Chomsky's defence of his GB theory, for example, can be illuminated by comparing it with Galileo's defusing of the threat that the Tower Argument posed for the Copernican theory of the earth's diurnal motion
Perhaps it 1S not superfluous to note two ways in which these points should not be interpreted. They do not constitute an argument about the question whether Chomsky's position in present-day linguistics is, or is not, similar to that occupied by Galileo in seventeenth-century natural SC1ence. Nor do these points jointly imply that Chomsky's defusing of the threat to the GB theory will, or will not, turn out to be as crucial to the development of theoretical linguistics as Galileo's defence of the Copernican theory was to the development of natural science
Summary
The time has come for psychologists and linguists to adopt "the Galilean style" of inquiry in the study both of mind in general and of language in particular. Chomsky has mounted a strongly persuasive case for the adoption of "the Galilean style" in the study of mind in general and language in particular This makes lithe Galilean style" of linguistic inquiry a subject for serious metascientific analysis. As to the more narrowly lingu tic point of view, answers to these questions should make it clear to the practising linguist whether or not there is a new methodo~ logical tool at his disposal and, if so, what the potential and the limitations of this tool may be In this connection, it may be noted that Galileo has been connnonly looked upon as "the father of modern science", the one scholar whose thought and work were responsible for the transition from medieval to (early) modern science. Let us assume for the sake of argument that (2)(a)-(c) do ident~' fY bas'~c mechan~' smsf 0 " the Ga 11'1 ean sty1e " as use d b y ph ys~"c~sts. 3) The question is: In what form are these mechanisms manifested ~n "the Galilean style" adopted by Chomskyan linguists? To arrive at an answer to this question, we first turn to the more or less explicit metascientific remarks offered by Chomsky (1978a, b, 1980) on the mechanisms of "the Galilean style"
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
