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While I respect (some of Chomsky's work) it is amazing to me that he thinks language is something more than mathematics/statistics. Language is math, it is bas

While I respect (some of Chomsky's work) it is amazing to me that he thinks language is something more than mathematics/statistics. Language is math, it is basically an advanced form of discreet mathematics. We can reproduce virtually anything on a computer, and it is no more "shallow" than artificial light from a lightbulb is "artificial." There is no magic going on, we are biological computers, walking number crunchers. Our brains just happen to operate with chemicals and analog signals, rather than transistors and digital signals. His view on this carries the drawbacks of academia, which has a tendency to over-complicate and over-formalize thinking.

Cacti 14y ago
I completely agree. The fact that math = language, and that it's built into our DNA, is astounding. And from there that the Halting Problem is basically tied into our DNA, that is, how we think, how our brains work, our ability to conceive ideas, is just mind-blowing. What Chomsky has done in his academic career in on par with the greatest scientists in our history.
- thewarrior 14y ago
  What do you mean ?
- koningrobot 14y ago
  Math is a model of reality. Math does not exist in your DNA; DNA exists subject to the rules of that which math models.
adrianhoward 14y ago
it is amazing to me that he thinks language is something more than mathematics/statistics He doesn't think that. Look at his linguistics work - google Chomsky Hierarchy. He very much does not think that it's magic. All he's saying is that some kinds of statistical modeling - while stupidly useful and practical - don't give us a lot of explanatory power. He's, metaphorically, complaining about folk who are happy using Boyle's Law because "it works", when he'd like more folk figuring out what atoms are all about.
- gavanwoolery 14y ago
  Well aware of his work, but I realize I probably misread the article. :) I think I just expanded statistical modeling to encompass more fields than I meant to (you can, in fact, employ statistical methods to augment "deeper" systems like automatically developing rule systems for propositional logic).

Cacti 14y ago

I completely agree. The fact that math = language, and that it's built into our DNA, is astounding. And from there that the Halting Problem is basically tied into our DNA, that is, how we think, how our brains work, our ability to conceive ideas, is just mind-blowing. What Chomsky has done in his academic career in on par with the greatest scientists in our history.

thewarrior 14y ago
What do you mean ?
koningrobot 14y ago
Math is a model of reality. Math does not exist in your DNA; DNA exists subject to the rules of that which math models.

adrianhoward 14y ago

it is amazing to me that he thinks language is something more than mathematics/statistics He doesn't think that. Look at his linguistics work - google Chomsky Hierarchy. He very much does not think that it's magic. All he's saying is that some kinds of statistical modeling - while stupidly useful and practical - don't give us a lot of explanatory power. He's, metaphorically, complaining about folk who are happy using Boyle's Law because "it works", when he'd like more folk figuring out what atoms are all about.

gavanwoolery 14y ago
Well aware of his work, but I realize I probably misread the article. :) I think I just expanded statistical modeling to encompass more fields than I meant to (you can, in fact, employ statistical methods to augment "deeper" systems like automatically developing rule systems for propositional logic).