Gary Marcus - Theories of Language and Mind

Theories of Language and Mind

Marcus's research and theories focus on the intersection between biology and psychology. How do the brain and mind relate when it comes to understanding language? Marcus takes an innatism stance on this debate and through his psychological evidence has given many answers to open questions such as, "If there is something built in at birth, how does it get there?" He challenged connectionist theories which posit that the mind is only made up of randomly arranged neurons. Marcus argues that neurons can be put together to build circuits in order to do things such as process rules or process structured representations.

Read more about this topic:  Gary Marcus

Famous quotes containing the words theories, language and/or mind:

    Philosophers of science constantly discuss theories and representation of reality, but say almost nothing about experiment, technology, or the use of knowledge to alter the world. This is odd, because ‘experimental method’ used to be just another name for scientific method.... I hope [to] initiate a Back-to-Bacon movement, in which we attend more seriously to experimental science. Experimentation has a life of its own.
    Ian Hacking (b. 1936)

    Nothing so fretful, so despicable as a Scribbler, see what I am, & what a parcel of Scoundrels I have brought about my ears, & what language I have been obliged to treat them with to deal with them in their own way;Mall this comes of Authorship.
    George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)

    The mind is the terriblest force in the world, father,
    Because, in chief, it, only, can defend
    Against itself. At its mercy, we depend
    Upon it.
    Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)