On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 11:58:26 -0400, Trent Pehrson
<pehr099@...> wrote:
> 1) Do you consider yourself a linguist?
Yes. I have never taken a college-level course, but I have been reading
college-level texts for some fifteen years, and for several years I have
had access (via this list) to some very smart people with deep and broad
expertise.
> 2) Given only the following labels, which best describes linguistics
> as a discipline for you? (a) a scientific discipline (b) a
> philosophical
> discipline.
Scientific.
> 3) Given only the following definitions, which comes closest to
> describing the purpose of linguistics for you? (a) learning to speak
> many
> languages. (b) learning the structures of languages. (c) learning how
> language works in the human mind. (d) defining and cataloging languages.
> (e) defining language at large. (e) the humanistic study of language and
> literature.
C
> 4) Do you consider yourself a scientist?
I consider myself capable of applying the scientific method.
> 5) Given only the following definitions, which comes closest to
> describing the purpose of science for you? (a) the search for truth. (b)
> use of the scientific method to create theories by proving or disproving
> hypotheses (c) the process of discovering natural laws.
A and C are implied by B
> 6) Do you consider yourself a philosopher?
I'm a lover of thought and knowledge.
> 7) Given only the following definitions, which comes closest to
> describing the purpose of philosophy for you? (a) the search for truth.
> (b) the pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral
> self-discipline.
> (c) the study of the nature of reality based on logical reasoning rather
> than empirical methods. (d) a critical analysis of fundamental
> assumptions
> or beliefs. (e) a discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics,
> metaphysics, and epistemology.
Those meanings are deeply intertwined, with A more or less implying the
others.
Paul