From: Gerry Reinhart-Waller
Message: 974
Date: 2000-01-19
>GERRY HERE: For the record, I wish the following to be posted so that
> From: "Marc Verhaegen" <Marc.Verhaegen@...>
>
> >From: Gerry Reinhart-Waller <waluk@...>
>
> >>Marc: Both Chomsky & Piaget are/were unaware of the importance of
> the
> comparative approach. IMO, pre-AAT vs AAT is like the physics of the
> old
> Greeks vs the physics of Newton. The old Greeks had their own merits,
> but if
> you want to learn physics you don't have to study the old Greek
> physics. I
> don't say there's nothing interesting in what Piaget said, but I think
> we
> can make more progress by using biological & evolutionary concepts in
> linguistics, neurology & psychology. (Chomsky should not be studied at
> all
> IMO. You can better read what people like Greenberg & Comrie & Dik
> have to
> say.)
>
> >Gerry: I certainly do NOT agree with you. How can anyone say that a
> paritcular scholar should NOT be studied. Perhaps in the USSR under
> Stalin,
> this took place. But not today in the US. Aren't you from Belgium?
> And
> totalitarianism -- has it raised its ugly head there? I doubt it. It's
> so
> nice to see that you're current. But why are you jumping on the
> Greenburg
> bandwagon (not that I find any difficulty with what he says)? I'd be
> very
> interested in hearing more about what you have to say; especially as
> that
> which concerns Chomsky and Greenburg. Gerry
>
> Gerry, you may study them, why not? (I read them, years ago). But for
> me I
> prefer to study other things, which I find more interesting.
>
> Marc
>
><Gerry here: Just repeating what I said in the earlier post: do youthink
><Marc: No, I don't think so. Chomsky: IMO you best forget all he said.Piaget: IMO it's very difficult stuff of uncertain relevance.