![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Apart from that minor complaint, I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. So the book will meander around from one fascinating topic to the next and suddenly he's harping on instincts again and telling why he believes it's true and why we should care. ![]() I suspect Pinker got attached to his title and decided everything had to tie back to that in some way. This is more of a survey-of-the-landscape type book. Some books are very narrowly focused and organized to support a key thesis. I don't have an issue with the idea that a 'language instinct' may exist, but I was never quite clear what he meant by the term 'instinct.' Regardless, as an introduction to all the key topics of interest in his field, this is a great book. He is less entertaining when he tries to argue his support for a particular ideological position. Pinker is at his best relating about the exciting research going on in neurolinguistics. That was one of the best parts for me, and I didn't have a clue it would be included. Fortunately, there is a 2007 update at the end of the book that comments on and catches up with some of the latest developments. This book came out in 1994 and it says a lot about how fast this field is growing that certain parts already feel a little outdated. ![]()
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