Chomsky : Ideas and Ideals

Rigorous yet accessible account of Chomsky's contributions to the study of language and the mind.

Chomsky has had a major influence on linguistics, psychology, and philosophy. In this rigorous yet accessible account of Chomsky''s work, Neil Smith analyses Chomsky''s key contributions to the study of both language and the mind. He gives a detailed exposition of Chomsky''s linguistic theorizing, and examines the ideas for which he is best known. Smith discusses the psychological and philosophical implications of Chomsky''s work, and argues that he has fundamentally changed the way we think of ourselves. Smith examines Chomsky''s political ideas and how these fit intellectually with his scholarly work. The final chapter spells out the themes - rationality, creativity and modularity - that unite the disparate strands of his vast output. Throughout, Smith explores the controversy surrounding Chomsky''s work, and explains why he has been both adulated and vilified.