On the History of Universal Grammar

2016 ◽  
pp. 76-94
Author(s):  
James McGilvray
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
17Th Century ◽  
Scientific Study ◽  
Science Method ◽  
Technical Term ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ordinary Usage ◽  
The Mind

As with other technical natural science terms, ‘Universal Grammar’ or ‘UG’ is defined not by ordinary usage, but within a science. While the methodological foundations (where to look, and how) of the natural science of language were laid in the 17th century, it is only with the advent of formal tools due to Church, Turing, and others in the 1930s and the efforts of Chomsky from the 1950s on that that science came to fruition. In this chapter, I outline the brief history of the technical term UG and assess the progress of the natural science of language. And as Chomsky does in his ‘Cartesian Linguistics,’ while acknowledging Descartes’s many errors, I sketch his lasting contributions to natural science method and to the nativist and internalist scientific study of the mind.

Condillac, Mandeville, and the Origin of Language

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rüdiger Schreyer
Keyword(s):  
18Th Century ◽  
17Th Century ◽  
International Debate ◽  
Origin Of Language ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of Linguistics ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mind

Summary The study of 18th-century theories on the origin of language offers interesting insights into history of linguistics. These theories are intimately linked with 17th-century inquiries into the social and intellectual nature of man, and particularly with the views of Hobbes, Locke, and the Cartesians. 18th-century thinkers analyse these problems from a genetic viewpoint. Condillac in his Essai sur Vorigine des connoissances humaines (1746) tries to solve them by advancing a theory of the progress of the operations of the mind, a theory in which a central role is attributed to language. This theory has recently attracted the attention of historians of linguistics, since it is considered the main source of an international debate on the origin of language culminating in Herder. It can be shown, however, that a large number of Condillac’s ideas were anticipated in Bernard Mandeville’s Fable of the Bees (1729). The present study suggests that Condillac was very likely familiar with the theses of the Fable and that he made use of them in his Essai. This suggestion is supported by an anlysis of the arguments and of certain fundamental concepts common to both works and by an account of the influence of Mandeville’s theses in France during the first decades of the 18th century. But, as Condillac mentions neither Mandeville nor his Fable, his indebtedness to his precursor cannot be proved once for all. Nevertheless, the evidence presented makes it very plausible that Condillac profited from the original and innovative ideas of Mandeville.

The Will and the Understanding in the Philosophy of Jonathan Edwards

1947 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-220
Author(s):  
H. G. Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Jonathan Edwards ◽  
Scientific Methodology ◽  
Current Discussion ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Will ◽  
The Mind

A new examination of this well worn theme seems to be appropriate in view of the current discussion of the place of metaphysics in the study of philosophy. The familiar supposition that philosophy may, and indeed should, dispense with all high speculations concerning the nature of “the grand scheme of things entire” while it devotes its time to “the order and connection of ideas in the mind,” or to that quasi-mental order known as scientific methodology, would make of philosophy either a segment of natural science or a footless and irresponsible expression of animal hungers and party causes. Any philosophy, so we are told, which indulges in metaphysics is a mere rationalization of animal “drives” on a par with folklore, religion, and magic. Aside from the suspicion that this supposition is itself a metaphysical hypothesis not subject to scientific verification, the reasonable manner of dealing with it is to test it by comparison with rival suppositions in the history of man.

scholarly journals The Psychology of Hope: A Diagnostic and Prescriptive Account

2020 ◽  
pp. 137-163
Author(s):  
Anthony Scioli
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Scientific Consensus ◽  
Scientific Paradigms ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mind

Abstract In this chapter, I review psychology’s contributions to the study of hope. To close potential gaps in this interdisciplinary volume, I include work in psychiatry and nursing. The nearly 400-year history of psychological reflections on hope reveals extended stretches of neglect, alternating with brief flashes of interest. Shifting scientific paradigms are partly to blame. However, I suggest that the greatest challenge for investigators seeking scientific consensus on the topic may be cultural and sociopolitical. I begin with a review of the most significant writings and research on hope, dating back to the seventeenth century. I examine goal-related approaches in greater depth, due to their strong influence on the field of psychology. The latter half of this chapter is more critical and prescriptive. For a deeper commentary, I rely on Markus’s (Meas Interdisciplinary Res Perspect 6:54–77, 2008) distinction between constructs and concepts as well as Danziger’s (Naming the mind: How psychology found its language. Sage Publications, 1997) observation on how psychology found its lexicon. This middle, diagnostic section includes a review of philosophy of science criteria for evaluating theories. I transition to general prescriptions for achieving a better understanding of hope, organized around Bacon’s “four idols” of the mind, and add specific suggestions for future research. I conclude with a summary of recent work within our hope lab.

How Homo economicus lost her mind and how we can revive her

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter DeScioli
Keyword(s):  
Economic Thought ◽  
History Of Economic Thought ◽  
Homo Economicus ◽  
Economic Theories ◽  
Target Article ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mind ◽  
And Behavior

AbstractThe target article by Boyer & Petersen (B&P) contributes a vital message: that people have folk economic theories that shape their thoughts and behavior in the marketplace. This message is all the more important because, in the history of economic thought, Homo economicus was increasingly stripped of mental capacities. Intuitive theories can help restore the mind of Homo economicus.

Beérkezett könyvek

2005 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-427
Author(s):  
Csaba Pléh
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
General Intelligence ◽  
Human Thought ◽  
Number Of Genes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Origin Of Mind ◽  
The Mind

Ádám György: A rejtozködo elme. Egy fiziológus széljegyzetei Carpendale, J. I. M. és Müller, U. (eds): Social interaction and the development of knowledge Cloninger, R. C.: Feeling good. The science of well being Dunbar, Robin, Barrett, Louise, Lycett, John: Evolutionary psychology Dunbar, Robin: The human story. A new history of makind's evolution Geary, D. C.: The origin of mind. Evolution of brain, cognition and general intelligence Gedeon Péter, Pál Eszter, Sárkány Mihály, Somlai Péter: Az evolúció elméletei és metaforái a társadalomtudományokban Harré, Rom: Cognitive science: A philosophical introduction Horváth György: Pedagógiai pszichológia Marcus, G.: The birth of the mind. How a tiny number of genes creates the complexities of human thought Solso, R. D.: The psychology of art and the evolution of the conscious brain Wray, A. (ed.): The transition to language

Beérkezett könyvek

2008 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 769-770
Author(s):  
Csaba Pléh
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Cambridge University ◽  
New Science ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Oxford University Press

Danziger, Kurt: Marking the mind. A history of memory . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008Farkas, Katalin: The subject’s point of view. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008MosoninéFriedJudités TolnaiMárton(szerk.): Tudomány és politika. Typotex, Budapest, 2008Iacobini, Marco: Mirroring people. The new science of how we connect with others. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2008Changeux, Jean-Pierre. Du vrai, du beau, du bien.Une nouvelle approche neuronale. Odile Jacob, PárizsGazzaniga_n

Med. Dr. Adalbert Wraný (1836–1902) – doctor of medicine, mineral collector and donor to the National Museum in Prague

2019 ◽  
Vol 188 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-146
Author(s):  
Martin Bohatý ◽  
Dalibor Velebil
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
The Other ◽  
National Museum ◽  
Industrial Chemistry ◽  
Pediatric Pathology ◽  
Geological Institute ◽  
History Of ◽  
Precious Stones

Adalbert Wraný (*1836, †1902) was a doctor of medicine, with his primary specialization in pediatric pathology, and was also one of the founders of microscopic and chemical diagnostics. He was interested in natural sciences, chemistry, botany, paleontology and above all mineralogy. He wrote two books, one on the development of mineralogical research in Bohemia (1896), and the other on the history of industrial chemistry in Bohemia (1902). Wraný also assembled several natural science collections. During his lifetime, he gave to the National Museum large collections of rocks, a collection of cut precious stones and his library. He donated a collection of fossils to the Geological Institute of the Czech University (now Charles University). He was an inspector of the mineralogical collection of the National Museum. After his death, he bequeathed to the National Museum his collection of minerals and the rest of the gemstone collection. He donated paintings to the Prague City Museum, and other property to the Klar Institute of the Blind in Prague. The National Museum’s collection currently contains 4 325 samples of minerals, as well as 21 meteorites and several hundred cut precious stones from Wraný’s collection.

Polytechnic Library (To the 145th Anniversary of Establishment)

2009 ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
Ludmila S. Kharitonova
Keyword(s):  
Natural Science ◽  
Public Library ◽  
History Of

Describes the history of creation and forming of one of the oldest Russian libraries stock, developed from the restricted library of the natural science amateur association towards to the huge public library.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document