Genes, brains, evolution and language : the innateness debate continued / Harry van der Hulst.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hulst, Harry van der, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Innateness hypothesis (Linguistics).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 537 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2025.

Summary:

Half a century ago, Noam Chomsky posited that humans have specific innate mental abilities to learn and use language, distinct from other animals. This book, a follow-up to the author's previous textbook, A Mind for Language, continues to critically examine the development of this central aspect of linguistics: the innateness debate. It expands upon key themes in the debate - discussing arguments that come from other disciplines, such as psychology, anthropology, sociology, criminology, computer science, formal languages theory, neuroscience, genetics, animal communication, and evolutionary biology. The innateness claim also leads us to ask how human language evolved as a characteristic trait of Homo Sapiens. Written in an accessible way, assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics, the book guides the reader through technical concepts, and employs concrete examples throughout. It is accompanied by a range of online resources, including further material, a glossary, discussion points, questions for reflection, and project suggestions.

Contents:

Cover

Half-title page

Title page

Imprints page

Contents

List of Figures

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I Introduction

1 What This Book Is About

Introduction

The Notions "Language" and "Mind"

The Arguments in Support of the Innateness Hypothesis

An Outline of This Book

2 The Organization of the Mental Grammar

Section I The Structure of the Mental Grammar

Section II Some Refinements and Questions of Innateness

Section III Structural Analogy

Conclusions

3 The Nature-Nurture Debate across Disciplines

The Nature-Nurture Debate in a Psychological Context

The Nature/Nurture Debate in an Anthropological Context

The Nature-Nurture Debate in a Sociological Context

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Ethology and Psychobiology

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Sociobiology

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Criminology

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Behavioral Genetics

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Genetics

The Nature-Nurture Debate in Daily Life

Part II Third Factors and Formal Languages Theory

4 Third Factors

Introduction: What Are "Third Factors"?

The Role of "Natural Laws"

The Background of Third-Factor Thinking (in Chomsky's Own Words)

Nativist Commentators Who Explain What Chomsky Might Have in Mind

With Reference to the Language Faculty, What, Then, Is Computational Efficiency?

Is Efficiency of the Mental Grammar Due to the Processing Systems?

Criticism of the "Third Factors Program"

The Fibonacci Sequence as a Third Factor?

The Particulate Principle

Metapatterns

Why Do Similarities Exist?

5 Formal Languages Theory and the Mental Grammar

Section I A Hierarchy of Formal Grammars

Section II Applications and Refinements

Part III Brains and Genes.

6 Language and the Brain

Section I The Structure of the Brain and Brain Research Methods

Section II The Localization of Language in the Brain

7 Language and the Genome

Section I The Structure of the Genome and Genetic Research Methods

Section II The Localization of Language in the Genome

Part IV Animal Communication

8 Communication in the Rest of the Animal Kingdom

Section I Animal Communication Systems

Section II Some More Examples of Animal Communication Systems

9 The Animal Mind and Human Language

Primates

Dolphins

The Parrot Alex

What Can We Conclude Thus Far from the Animal Language Experiments?

European Starlings

Part V The Evolution of Mind and Language

10 The Evolution of Mind and Language: Basic Issues

Terminology and General Issues

Misguided Questions and Answers about Language Evolution

Science or Not Science?

Renewed Interest in the Issue and Why

Language as a Biological Property

Mind the Gap

Asking the Right Questions

Was There Language before Homo Sapiens? (and What Do We Mean by "Language" Anyway?)

Where Do We Go from Here?

The Problem with Creationism

The Debate

Part VI Winding Up

11 Evaluating the Arguments: A Forum Discussion

A Forum Discussion

Epilogue

Notes

Further Reading

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 14 Nov 2025).

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-009-34633-4

1-009-34634-2

1-009-34631-8

OCLC:

1574122203