This course explores the foundations of language, delving into the mysteries and debates surrounding its origins and functions. Participants will discuss whether language is a human invention for group cooperation or a result of brain rewiring, and examine its role as a communication tool and substrate of inner thought. Through discussions with experts, learners will explore how language can ignite imagination and creativity. The course covers topics such as the intrinsic structure of language, the capacity for thought, and the history of language. The intended audience includes individuals interested in linguistics, cognitive science, and the power of language in shaping human experience.
Overview
Syllabus
Intro
Interview with Noam Chomsky
Alfred Russel Wallace
The strongest evidence
Oneoff chance event
The Fermi Paradox
Language as an instrument of thought
The inner voice
The capacity for thought
The limit of our language
Human creativity
Language as tool of thought
Can artificial systems think
Inner world
Optimism
Introductions
Language as a tool of thought
Intrinsic structure of language
Language as a tool of communication
Brief history of language
Linguistic species in the universe
Taught by
World Science Festival
