- F. Ferretti quotes a random sample of recent studies as proofs against my arguments, and makes no mention of the conspicuous failure of glottochronology, of the one-sided methods of Ruhlen's linguistic comparison, of the questionable corres - pondences of languages with populations genetics. He clearly passes over the second, epistemological, part of the book. In his exposition, the different planes of discussion are systematically mixed up and my arguments repeatedly misinterpreted. My Reply is focused on a few points. In particular: the import of evolutionary theories on discussions of language origin, the notion of a "faculty" or "instinct" of language, the status of linguistics as an empirical science, the relations of evolutionary psychology with sociobiology. Finally, I challenge F. Ferretti's assertion, that the refutation of naturalism must necessarily result in embracing idealism. Keywords: Comparativism, Language faculty, Language origin, Limits of linguistic reconstruction, Naturalism, Sociobiology.
PHYSICAL NATURE OF SOUND AS A BASIS FOR LANGUAGE ORIGIN
