Noam Chomsky is one of the most prolific and influential thinkers in the field of language and cognitive functions. He has always argued that human beings are genetically endowed with innate linguistic abilities - a set of principles that he calls "Universal Grammar". Individual languages are born out of specific environmental conditions. This approach to the study of language is called the "genetic experiment" and has brought about revolutionary changes in the way we understand human languages and other cognitive systems.
This book is the publication of a lecture given at the University of Delhi in January 1996, in which Chomsky summarizes the history of the project and continues it with some impressive new advances in the theory of genetic grammar called "Minimalist Program". By combining philosophical and conceptual issues with the results of empirical research, he outlines some of the key issues that have occupied genetic grammar in recent years and maps out the agenda for future research in language theory.
The transcribed text maintains the concise and eloquent style for which Chomsky is famous as a public speaker. The discussion that followed the lecture is also presented, including topics such as the scope of linguistics, the acquisition of linguistic abilities, and the theory of language and cognitive functions.
This is a book that provides valuable information for experts, but it is also useful for students and the wider reading audience.