There was recently an article in the BBC that said that monkeys can recognize grammatical errors. This led scientists to conclude that sounds monkeys make and language have the same origin, though not the same thing. Calling Noam Chimpsky. This result, they say, shows that theories of languages seem to be incorrect.
Veronica----- Original Message ----- From: <Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 10:35 AM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Monkeys Can Speak
P. A. Stone, out of nowhere, informs us that (some) monkeys (can) type.missing the point of the remark that a monkey cannot UTTER ambiguous words(_contra_ Bruce). "What the policeman said was true" Grice writes: "Surely I cannot be regarded as HAVING COMMITTED myself to the CONTENT of the policeman's statement merely in virtue of having said that it was 'true'". "When, to my surprise, I learn that that the policeman actually said, 'Monkeys can talk', I say: "Well, I was wrong" but I do NOT say: "I withdraw that" or "I withdraw my commitment to that". I never was committed to it. Similarly, I have in my younger days committed myself to the contents of the 39 articles of the C of E without, I confess, never knowing what they say." Studies in the way of Words. --- Grice is criticising Strawson (his former tutee) silly account of 'is true' as a new fangled redundancy theory alla Ramsey -- and based on the sillier notion of 'assertion'. People -- and not just Catholics -- Grice noted, "are to prone to appeal to authority. Why would we trust a policeman. Some may say, "Well, what the policeman said was true because policemen always say the truth" or that "_that_ policeman always says the truth", or that that policeman in those circumstances could NOT but have spoken the truth. But that's surely an otiose and groundless thing to think." Cheers, J. L. Speranza Buenos Aires, Argentina **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222585090x1201462820/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jul yExcfooterNO62) ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
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