Noam Chomsky on Language, Left Libertarianism, and Progress | Conversations with Tyler
In this enlightening conversation, renowned linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky discusses a wide range of topics, from language and liberty to the future of humanity.
He shares his views on the evolution of language, the impact of the 1960s-era left libertarians, the trajectories of Nicaragua and Cuba, and the importance of youth activism.
Chomsky also reflects on his career, acknowledging his past mistakes and emphasizing the importance of intellectual honesty and continuous learning.
Critique of Media and Manufacturing Consent
Chomsky’s critiques of media and the concept of manufacturing consent are influenced more by his views on social and political structure than his views on language.
He criticizes the manipulation of public opinion through propaganda, as exemplified by the Committee on Public Information set up by Woodrow Wilson during World War I.
Critique of Evolutionary Approaches to Language
Chomsky criticizes evolutionary approaches to language that misunderstand the concept of evolution, leading to misconceptions about how language evolved.
He suggests that human language and thought evolved differently, in line with the actual theory of evolution, and that natural selection may have played little or no role in this process.
Challenges of Libertarian Socialism and Anarchism
Chomsky acknowledges that libertarian socialism and anarchism are not popular due to the class-based nature of society.
He argues that the business classes, who control the resources and institutions, are dedicated to class war and suppress ideas they don’t like.
Pessimism About the Future
Chomsky is not optimistic about the future, citing the legacy of the 1960s-era left libertarians and the development trajectories of Nicaragua and Cuba.
He believes that these historical events and movements have significantly impacted the current state of the world and will continue to influence the future.
Manipulation of Public Opinion
Chomsky criticizes the standard liberal position that the population is ‘stupid and ignorant’ and needs to be controlled by the ‘responsible men’.
He argues that this belief has led to the separation of the economy from public affairs, resulting in a very effective propaganda system.
Shared Views on Language and Liberty
Noam Chomsky and Wilhelm von Humboldt share similar views on language and liberty.
They both recognize the fundamental principles of language and the inherent right of every individual to freedom.
They also agree that language enables infinite use of finite means, a concept that became more understood with the development of the theory of computation in the mid-20th century.
Skepticism Towards Large Language Models
Chomsky argues that large language models (LLMs) cannot provide insights about language and thought as they work equally well for impossible languages as for possible ones.
These models, which scan vast amounts of data to find statistical regularities, do not distinguish between possible and impossible systems, thus offering no real understanding of language.
Innate Capacities and Language Acquisition
Chomsky believes that humans have innate capacities determined by their genetic endowment.
This genetic endowment allows infants to identify parts of the surrounding noise as language, enabling them to absorb the fundamentals of language by about two or three years old.
Potential for Societal Change
Chomsky believes that throughout history, people have organized, resisted, and overthrown repressive structures to create a broader reign of freedom and justice.
He cites the progress made in civil rights and women’s rights in the United States as examples of this.
Danger of Contemplating Nuclear War
Chomsky criticizes the casual talk about the possibility of nuclear war, calling it ‘insane’.
He argues that even contemplating such a possibility is dangerous, as the country that launches a first strike would be destroyed, even without a retaliatory strike, due to the effects of nuclear winter.
Commitment to Intellectual Discourse
Despite his criticisms and skepticism, Chomsky continues to engage in intellectual discourse and answer every email he receives.
He acknowledges that he has been wrong about certain things in the past, demonstrating his commitment to intellectual honesty and continuous learning.
Legacy of the New Left
Chomsky disagrees with the notion that the left libertarian tradition is weak today.
He argues that the New Left of the 1960s, though brief and scattered, left a major imprint on society.
He believes that the changes in societal attitudes and norms that have occurred since then are largely due to the activism of the New Left.
The fundamental property of human languages is this unique capacity to create unboundedly many new thoughts in our minds and even to convey to others who have no access to our minds their innermost workings. – Noam Chomsky
Large language models have a fundamental property which demonstrates that they cannot tell you anything about language and thought. They work just as well for impossible languages as for possible languages. – Noam Chomsky
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