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0 pointsthomassmith6510mo ago0 comments

It's not that the invention of LLMs conclusively disproves Chomksy's position.

However, we now have a proof-of-concept that a computer can learn grammar in a sophisticated way, from the ground up.

We have yet to code something procedural that approaches the same calibre via a hard-coded universal grammar.

That may not obliterate Chomksy's position, but it looks bad.

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suddenlybananas10mo ago

That's not the goal of generative linguistics though; it's not an engineering project.

thomassmith65OP10mo ago

The problem encompasses not just biology and information technology, but also linguistics. Even if LLMs say nothing about biology, they do tell us something about the nature of language itself.

Again, that LLMs can learn to compose sophisticated texts from training alone does not close the case on Chomsky's position.

However, it is a piece of evidence against it. It does suggest, by Occam's razor, that a hardwired universal grammar is the lesser theory.

suddenlybananas10mo ago

How do LLMs explain how 5 year olds respect island constraints?

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0 pointsthomassmith6510mo ago0 comments

It's not that the invention of LLMs conclusively disproves Chomksy's position.

However, we now have a proof-of-concept that a computer can learn grammar in a sophisticated way, from the ground up.

We have yet to code something procedural that approaches the same calibre via a hard-coded universal grammar.

That may not obliterate Chomksy's position, but it looks bad.

0 comments

suddenlybananas10mo ago

That's not the goal of generative linguistics though; it's not an engineering project.

thomassmith65OP10mo ago

The problem encompasses not just biology and information technology, but also linguistics. Even if LLMs say nothing about biology, they do tell us something about the nature of language itself.

Again, that LLMs can learn to compose sophisticated texts from training alone does not close the case on Chomsky's position.

However, it is a piece of evidence against it. It does suggest, by Occam's razor, that a hardwired universal grammar is the lesser theory.

suddenlybananas10mo ago

How do LLMs explain how 5 year olds respect island constraints?

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse