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The Biology of Language Reading Group
Language, claim many researchers, is an ability unique to human beings. The meaning of “language” in this context is to understood as different from the more general term “systems of communication”, which includes human language, as well as many other systems. We will consider whether language is uniquely human, i.e. whether there are any “special properties” of language not shared by any other communication system found in the natural world. To do this, we will look at research claiming to show that some animal communication systems have the supposedly unique properties. We will also ask what scientific, biological, ethical, and more generally philosophical consequences follow from a commitment to either view. We will consider debates about the evolution of language, and examine proposals for how the human language system could be physically realized in biological systems, most particularly brain systems.
The course does not presuppose any particular background, though some of the readings will require comfort with reading scientific articles. The format will be mostly open discussion.
This reading group meets on Thursdays at 6:30 PM at the Baltimore Free School.