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Mind Design and Minimal Syntax | 
 enlarge | Author: Wolfram Hinzen
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $55.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 1351631
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 314
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0199289255
Dewey Decimal Number: 415.019
EAN: 9780199289257
ASIN: 0199289255
Publication Date: April 27, 2006
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Product Description
This book introduces generative grammar as an area of study and asks what it tells us about the human mind. Wolfram Hinzen lays the foundation for the unification of modern generative linguistics with the philosophies of mind and language. He introduces Chomsky's program of a "minimalist" syntax as a novel explanatory vision of the human mind. He explains how the Minimalist Program originated in work in cognitive science, biology, linguistics, and philosophy, and examines its implications for work in these fields. He considers the way the human mind is designed when seen as an arrangement of structural patterns in nature, and argues that its design is the product not so much of adaptive evolutionary history as of principles and processes that are ahistorical and internalist in character. Linguistic meaning, he suggests, arises in the mind as a consequence of structures emerging on formal rather than functional grounds. From this he substantiates an unexpected and deeply unfashionable notion of human nature.
Clearly written in nontechnical language and assuming a limited knowledge of the fields it examines and links, Minimal Mind Design will appeal to a wide range of scholars in linguistics, philosophy, and cognitive science. It also provides an exceptionally clear insight into the nature and aims of Chomsky's Minimalist Program.
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On the nature of the mind May 26, 2008
In great detail, considerable insight and no slight illumination, Hinzen covers the most important elements and effects of generative grammar. He places the overall theory in the perspective of a Galilean Philosophy of science and a new approach to biology, which, again, draws its inspiration from earlier work. Indeed, while the Galilean intuitions may be easily found in Chomksy's work, the chapter that Hinzen has written on "Biological Internalism" is a classic of sorts. There is no better way to introduce oneself to one of the most important insights in the field of biology and philosophy of biology. And the chapter is a greater joy to read if one has some acquaintance with Mayr and Dawkins's work.
Hinzen's clarifications on the nature of "grammar", "UG", "minimalism" are quite worthwhile, especially as these words have caused endless confusion, mostly amongst philosophers.
There are marvelous discussions of phrase structure in chapter 5 that both introduce and take the reader to the cutting edge of the subject. Chapter 6 too has a fine overview on the nature of "phases" and "Spell-Out" and why NUM should be there or not and those who like arguments and the race for an explanatory theory should thoroughly enjoy these.
There is also an interesting discussion of modularity and Hinzen advances a fairly tight argument against this "massively" popular notion. One could only wish his argument was clearer.
Hinzen's account is not a mere repetition of Chomsky;s views but a substantially clarifying, clearer and often more surprising account than has been provided so far in the literature. Uriagereka;s Rhyme and Reason, of course, has a rich discussion on all the issues. But Hinzen;s book takes a fairly strong line and argues with great scholarship and not a little effectiveness for it.
The end of the book is occupied with the issue of nativism of concepts and Hinzen has only a few comments to offer, that are more or less available in the literature, largely in Chomsky. The concept of a WAD - a word acquisiton device - is a nice touch from Hinzen though.
Definitely a great book for beginners and aficionados alike, both in linguistics and philosophy. More so for philosophers.
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