Comment by scott_s
15 years ago
Excellent questions! That I hope someone will investigate. But brockf seemed skeptical that it was even possible for there to be an evolutionary process that produced humans with a statistical-learning-engine in their brains for language. Which I find curious, since - and this is my point - the same can be said for everything that is a result of evolutionary processes. That is, his complaint has nothing to do with language and statistical processoes. The same complaint could be lobbed at eyes.
Just to clarify my position (as it is misunderstood above): I believe it is one of the most important factors in acquiring language. 100%. However, I personally believe that it's a domain-general tool exploited by a domain-specific language module adhering to evolved instincts in language acquisition.
And why can't that domain-general tool be some kind of statistical machine? I ask this because I don't see why what you said is incompatible with it - in fact, I agree with what you said - but I suspect that the mechanism is probably statistical in nature.
Right, I think we're in agreement then. Statistical learning is the domain-general tool. Or one of them.
It's the domain specific tools that are up in the air, though, and what I'm interested in.