The Disassociation of Methodology and Ontology in Biolinguistics:  An Application of Kant’s Philosophy to Generative Linguistics

Li, Runze

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DC Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.advisor	Colarusso, John	-
dc.contributor.advisor	Stroinska, Magda	-
dc.contributor.author	Li, Runze	-
dc.date.accessioned	2020-10-23T18:17:22Z	-
dc.date.available	2020-10-23T18:17:22Z	-
dc.date.issued	2020	-
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/11375/25993	-
dc.description.abstract	In this thesis, I argue that the current biolinguists commit a categorical error when they study the so-claimed “language organ” (an ontological non-naturalist act) with methods that (they claim) align with natural sciences (a methodological naturalist act). I will argue that they are turning linguistic studies into “demonology”, a cult-like dogma, by having this disassociation in their ontological and methodological views, for this disassociation lets linguistics lose the ultimate ground that validates all knowledge: the reality, or experience in Kant’s term. In turn, this disassociation enlarges the split of current linguistic study: the generative/biolinguistics vs. the cognitive linguistics/psych-linguistics/ usage-based linguistics (or whatever other name one wants to call them). I will first briefly introduce what Kant said about similar issues (chapter 2). Then, I will introduce the disassociation of methodological and ontological naturalism in current linguistic doctrine (chapter 3) and how this disassociation is turning linguistics into a self-entertaining demonology with examples of the language organ, language evolution, and Principles and Parameters. Chapter 4 will be a discussion as why things have become what they are, and ends with some conclusions	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.subject	Kant	en_US
dc.subject	Biolinguistics	en_US
dc.subject	Dogmatism	en_US
dc.subject	Naturalism	en_US
dc.title	The Disassociation of Methodology and Ontology in Biolinguistics: An Application of Kant’s Philosophy to Generative Linguistics	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Cognitive Science of Language	en_US
dc.description.degreetype	Thesis	en_US
dc.description.degree	Master of Science (MSc)	en_US
dc.description.layabstract	This thesis criticizes the general biolinguistics enterprise in terms of the first suggestion that Kant would give in chapter 2.6; namely that biolinguistics distances itself from reality. Generally, like all dogmatism or rationalism that Kant meant to criticize, biolinguistics is no exception. However, it redeems itself from being yet another dogmatism with this seemingly justified disassociation of ontological dualism and methodological naturalism. It is doing this so covertly that many scientists fall into believing it is a science. As an undergraduate student, I was always awed at ideas like universal grammar and how it affects language learning. My impression was that Kant was being re-invited: that unlike other language theories, nativism recognizes that the internal epistemological factors are part of the language itself. This is parallel to Kant, for Kant recognized how a seemingly completely external entity such as experience is actually heavily constructed by our cognition. Then, there was something that did not feel right, something that was not very Kant when I heard “language came from a sudden mutation around…years ago and had no evolution; children learn L1 so effortlessly solely because of the language organ; language is biologically innate…”. I now know and will argue that they all come from the disassociation that I did not notice then, the disassociation that makes linguistics only a science on the surface but a dogmatism in the core, like demonology.	en_US
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