The fruit-fly thread raised many issues. I'd like to cite some URLs
for further background. The first is a Ted page about the way language
affects thinking and a talk about how babies learn and generalize: (01)
http://ideas.ted.com/5-examples-of-how-the-languages-we-speak-can-affect-the-way-we-think/?utm_source=pocket&utm_campaign=fftutorial (02)
The note by Jessica Gross discusses evidence from English vs Chinese,
Australian Aboriginal languages, Spanish, Japanese, Zuñi, Russian,
Hebrew, and Finnish. Her note includes pointers to a Ted talk and
some articles that go into more detail. (03)
The Ted talk by Laura Schulz includes short video clips about the
way babies generalize from examples of toys and how they quickly
reach for the toys to test their hypotheses: (04)
http://www.ted.com/talks/laura_schulz_the_surprisingly_logical_minds_of_babies (05)
She does not believe that computer systems with the learning ability
of young children will be developed within the lifetimes of herself
or anyone in the audience. Given other research in AI and cognitive
science, I agree. But I also believe that more can be done in AI.
That's the theme of http://www.jfsowa.com/talks/micai.pdf (06)
I also heard an NPR interview with Franz de Waal, who has written
several very good books about chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans.
For the interview and a Ted talk "Do animals have morals", see
http://www.npr.org/2014/08/15/338936897/do-animals-have-morals (07)
For a study of emotions, the apes are more relevant than fruit flies.
And the video clips in the Ted talk are hilarious. For more, this
page also points to other Ted talks on the theme "Animals and Us". (08)
Among the linguists who present a "big picture" of how language,
cognition and AI are related, Michael Halliday is one of the best.
For a review of a book by Halliday and his colleague Christian
Matthiessen, see http://www.jfsowa.com/pubs/halliday.pdf (09)
Among other things, Halliday was a co-founder of CLRU (Cambridge
Language Research Unit). The researchers in CLRU were among the
pioneers in computational linguistics. Another co-founder and one
of leaders of CLRU for many years was Margaret Masterman. The
following review of her collected papers summarizes the issues: (010)
http://www.jfsowa.com/pubs/mmb_rev.htm (011)
A 2010 conference on "Language Evolving" brought together some
prominent researchers. Their talks are available on YouTube.
Terry Deacon summarized the genetic mechanisms in evolution: (012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-zZ0PMqgI (013)
The first 50 minutes address the effects of random mutations and
"natural" selection on primates, dogs vs. wolves, the songs of wild
vs. domesticated finches, etc. The last 15 minutes + questions apply
the principles to language and the debate about some "magic mutation"
that suddenly gave humans the ability to speak modern languages. (014)
Short summary: If the hypothesis of a magic mutation were true,
it would be a strong proof for the existence of God and His work
in (a) causing language and (b) preserving it from degradation. (015)
In 2012, Noam Chomsky gave a talk about "Language and other cognitive
processes": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i_W6Afed2k (016)
Chomsky gets into issues about evolution around the 18-minute mark.
He dismisses arguments (such as Deacon's) as "pop psychology". He
claims that language is unique and could not have evolved by incremental
changes. Therefore, there must have been a "magic mutation". For more,
the side bar on the YouTube page points to many other talks by Chomsky. (017)
Following is a talk by Halliday in 2010 on "Language evolving:
Some systemic-functional reflections on the history of meaning".
He doesn't use slides, but he presents many fascinating points
about the developments in languages during recorded history,
which means mainly written language. (018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC-blhaIUCk (019)
And following is a talk by Mattheissen, on "Language evolving:
Notes towards a semiotic history of humanity": (020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U15qHWJcfT4 (021)
On the right hand side of the YouTube pages are links to many
related talks, including a few that support Chomsky and many
more that disagree. (022)
These talks aren't as much fun as watching the animals and
babies, but they're informative. (023)
Fundamental issue: Don't expect any simple theory or mechanism
to explain and relate all these very complex phenomena. We don't
have to worry about computers taking over the world -- at least
not in the 21st century. (024)
John (025)
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