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Chomsky is one of the most internationally-known intellectuals. Most people in my country (Argentina) know him for that, rather than his work in linguistics. .

Chomsky is one of the most internationally-known intellectuals. Most people in my country (Argentina) know him for that, rather than his work in linguistics. ... So I think it's very unfair to say he's speaking "outside of his niche" here.

actionfromafar 3y ago
I guess one could phrase it like this - his work in linguistics was important and somewhat falsifiable. The rest, not so much.
- mcv 3y ago
  Is anything in philosophy or politics falsifiable? If politics is not his field, then whose field is it? Are only polsci majors allowed to discuss politics?
  - ajuc 3y ago
    "Peace for our time" by Chamberline and Germany's dependence on Russia are as falsified as you can be in politics. Chomsky would probably support both :)
    - mcv 3y ago
      Fair point, and definitely a valid refutation of his position on Russia-Ukraine. My point should have been that everybody is entitled to their opinion on politics and philosophy, but you do have to take facts into account when available. They're not always available, and it's not always obvious how relevant they are to a new situation, but you obvious shouldn't ignore facts completely, and that does happen way too often. In every corner of the political spectrum.
- psychoslave 3y ago
  Is Karl Popper's theory on falsifiability as a scientific criterion itself falsifiable?
cracrecry 3y ago
I don't believe that. I have traveled the world and very few people I know know about Chomsky. I know a lot about Chomsky as someone who has studied parsers and natural languages a lot and I usually ask people I talk with if they know Chomsky so I can explain something I do. People in Argentina knows Chomsky because he has always been Communist and an apologist of marxist dictatorships and regimes while a harsh critic of the West values and institutions. Argentina has been a Marxist loving country for a long time. I was born in Spain and lived in Mendoza for some time. Argentinians also love to feel victims about everything that happens to them so they don't have responsibility on it so Chomsky message is powerful there. I am not criticising Argentina, but describing it.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- Gud 3y ago
  Chomsky is not a communist, he's a syndicalist. His views are more nuanced than you give him credit for.

actionfromafar 3y ago

I guess one could phrase it like this - his work in linguistics was important and somewhat falsifiable. The rest, not so much.

mcv 3y ago
Is anything in philosophy or politics falsifiable? If politics is not his field, then whose field is it? Are only polsci majors allowed to discuss politics?
- ajuc 3y ago
  "Peace for our time" by Chamberline and Germany's dependence on Russia are as falsified as you can be in politics. Chomsky would probably support both :)
  - mcv 3y ago
    Fair point, and definitely a valid refutation of his position on Russia-Ukraine. My point should have been that everybody is entitled to their opinion on politics and philosophy, but you do have to take facts into account when available. They're not always available, and it's not always obvious how relevant they are to a new situation, but you obvious shouldn't ignore facts completely, and that does happen way too often. In every corner of the political spectrum.
psychoslave 3y ago
Is Karl Popper's theory on falsifiability as a scientific criterion itself falsifiable?

cracrecry 3y ago

I don't believe that. I have traveled the world and very few people I know know about Chomsky. I know a lot about Chomsky as someone who has studied parsers and natural languages a lot and I usually ask people I talk with if they know Chomsky so I can explain something I do. People in Argentina knows Chomsky because he has always been Communist and an apologist of marxist dictatorships and regimes while a harsh critic of the West values and institutions. Argentina has been a Marxist loving country for a long time. I was born in Spain and lived in Mendoza for some time. Argentinians also love to feel victims about everything that happens to them so they don't have responsibility on it so Chomsky message is powerful there. I am not criticising Argentina, but describing it.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
Gud 3y ago
Chomsky is not a communist, he's a syndicalist. His views are more nuanced than you give him credit for.