On Thu, 2005-09-08 at 10:58, Trent Pehrson wrote:
> Most excellent list members,
>
> I make a humble request for the sole purpose of satiating my own
> curiosity. Please respond to the following, brief survey:
>
> 1) Do you consider yourself a linguist?
Professionally? No. In a very amateur way, possibly.
> 2) Given only the following labels, which best describes linguistics
> as a discipline for you? (a) a scientific discipline (b) a philosophical
> discipline.
I hope it's a scientific discipline that tries to figure out what
reality is and goes from there.
> 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.
B, C, D, second E. But, I'm not a professional linguist. :)
> 4) Do you consider yourself a scientist?
Only if you accept the term "computer scientist." (I prefer "software
engineer" or just "programmer.")
> 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.
All of the above.
> 6) Do you consider yourself a philosopher?
Perhaps in some highly amateur sense.
> 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.
All of the above, again noting that I'm purely an amateur.
CKR
cian@cox-internet.com
http://crlh.tzo.org/~cian/CR/conlang/