Abstract
The Minimalist Program in generative syntax has been the subject of much rancour, a good proportion of it stoked by Noam Chomsky’s suggestion that language may represent “a ‘perfect solution’ to minimal design specifications.” A particular flash point has been the application of Minimalist principles to speculations about how language evolved in the human species. This paper argues that Minimalism is well supported as a plausible approach to language evolution. It is claimed that an assumption of minimal design specifications like that employed in MP syntax satisfies three key desiderata of evolutionary and general scientific plausibility: Physical Optimism, Rational Optimism, and Darwin’s Problem. In support of this claim, the methodologies employed in MP to maximise parsimony are characterised through an analysis of recent theories in Minimalist syntax, and those methodologies are defended with reference to practices and arguments from evolutionary biology and other natural sciences.
Highlights
There is no point in using the word ‘impossible’ to describe something that has clearly happened. (Douglas Adams)The Minimalist Program in generative syntax has been the subject of much rancour, a good proportion of it stoked by Chomsky’s suggestion that “language design may really be optimal in some respects, approach[ing] a ‘perfect solution’ to minimal design specifications” (Chomsky, 2000a: 93)
A particular flash point has been the application of Minimalism to speculation about how language evolved in the human species, most prominently represented by the Merge-only hypothesis in generative syntax (Chomsky, 2000b) and the saltationalist claims often made in parallel (Hauser et al, 2002)
This section exemplifies the methodologies of redundancy, economy, and efficiency as they are applied to reaching the goal of a plausible faculty of language (FL)
Summary
There is no point in using the word ‘impossible’ to describe something that has clearly happened. This paper presents the countering view that what we know about biological design—and the kinds scientific inference needed to explain it—substantiate Minimalism as a plausible evolutionary hypothesis.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.