Re: brief survey

Trent wrote:

<<1) Do you consider yourself a linguist?>>

In our grad. syntax class, we were musing about what a "real" linguist
would say about our solution to a particular problem.  It was then
that our professor said, for better or worse, we were about as real as
linguists get.  So I suppose I am, then.

<<2) Given only the following labels, which best describes linguistics
as a discipline for you? (a) a scientific discipline  (b)  a
philosophical
discipline.>>

Only!?  I'm afraid linguistics is too large to label like this.  I'd say
phonetics, neural stuff, some cognitive science, computational modeling,
etc., certainly qualifies as a science for me.  Syntax, semantics,
pragmatics, etc., fall into the realm of philosophy.  Phonology and
morphology sit uncomfortably in between the two.

<<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.>>

Either (b) or (e), if this definition is for *me* specifically.  Not
to say
the others don't interest me, though, because they do.

<<4) Do you consider yourself a scientist?>>

No.

<<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.>>

I don't think my definition comes anywhere close to any of those
three.  The purpose of science is to make it easier for artists to
create
art, and/or to inspire artists.  That's it.  So I guess (a) would be
closest?

<<6) Do you consider yourself a philosopher?>>

No.

<<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.>>

I think (d).

<<Thanks.>>

Interesting survey.  And this is for nothing other than curiosity?
No other purpose in mind?  If not, why this kind of survey, and
not "What's your favorite color/ice cream/Simpsons episode"?

-David
*******************************************************************
"A male love inevivi i'ala'i oku i ue pokulu'ume o heki a."
"No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

-Jim Morrison

http://dedalvs.free.fr/