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Noam Chomsky on Jung, Wittgenstein, and Gödel
Episode 40

Noam Chomsky on Jung, Wittgenstein, and Gödel

Noam Chomsky in his only Ask Me Anything in years. Video version here: https://youtu.be/pUWmTXkpHjE Links to what's been mentioned in the video are below (scroll). 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:03 What do Gödel's incompleteness theorems say about mathematical realism / linguistics? (Prof. Rebecca Goldstein) 00:04:25 Progress on the science of consciousness? (Prof. Anil Seth) 00:09:52 Modern Ptolemaic models in science 00:11:29 Analyzing infinitival phrases (Prof. Daniel Bonevac) 00:14:38 Are there units of culture, like memes? (Prof. Joseph Velikovsky) 00:21:55 Extralinguistic experiences being fathomed only through linguistics? (Andres Zuleta) 00:25:16 Can you perceive a thought even if you don't verbally express it? (Rivulet) 00:27:37 Is there a Chomskyan pre-grammar for religion like Eric Weinstein suggests? (Aro Own) 00:33:52 On Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations and its influence on Chomsky (Jack McGreevy) 00:39:51 Conscious volition vs. unconscious "wiring" in relation to free will (Joel Suro) 00:44:51 Is mathematics itself the domain of all languages? (Boris Costello) 00:46:33 Is language created from the top down (enforcement from authorities) or bottom up ("the people")? 00:49:47 Social constructionism vs. Chomsky 00:51:47 Jung's archetypes' relationship to Chomskyan grammar 00:54:02 Bakunin, freedom, language, and human nature 00:57:51 What revolutionary words / phrases have we forgotten that we should re-learn? 00:58:39 How has Chomsky's views on universal grammar changed since he conceived it? 01:08:13 Change vs. Evolution (variation, replication, selection) 01:15:12 The invention of terms like LatinX and BIPOC, etc. Is there something different about them? 01:17:14 The Sapir Whorf hypothesis Patreon for conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, and God: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Help support conversations like this via PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4 Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802 * * * Rebecca Goldstein's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkL3BcKEB6Y Anil Seth's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hUEqXhDbVs Anil Seth's twitter: https://twitter.com/anilkseth Daniel Bonevac's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/PhiloofAlexandria Eric Weinstein interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KElq_MLO1kw * * * Subscribe if you want more conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, God, and the mathematics / physics of each. * * * I'm producing an imminent documentary Better Left Unsaid http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com on the topic of "when does the left go too far?" Visit that site if you'd like to contribute to getting the film distributed (early-2021).

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal · Theories of Everything

December 20, 20201h 21m

Show Notes

Noam Chomsky (MIT) tackles Gödel's incompleteness, challenges Wittgenstein, and defends mathematical realism He engages with scholars on topics such as Wittgenstein, Jung, and the Sapir‑Whorf hypothesis, offering his linguistic perspective on philosophy and science.

- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:02:03 - Gödel incompleteness and realism
- 00:04:25 - Science of consciousness
- 00:09:52 - Modern Ptolemaic models in science
- 00:11:29 - Analyzing infinitival phrases
- 00:14:38 - Units of culture and memes
- 00:21:55 - Extralinguistic experiences via linguistics
- 00:25:16 - Perceiving thought without verbal expression
- 00:27:37 - Chomskyan pre‑grammar for religion
- 00:33:52 - Wittgenstein’s influence on Chomsky
- 00:39:51 - Conscious volition vs unconscious wiring
- 00:44:51 - Mathematics as domain of all languages
- 00:46:33 - Language creation: top‑down vs bottom‑up
- 00:49:47 - Social constructionism vs Chomsky
- 00:51:47 - Jung’s archetypes and Chomskyan grammar
- 00:54:02 - Bakunin, freedom, language, and human nature
- 00:57:51 - Forgotten revolutionary words and phrases
- 00:58:39 - Changes in universal grammar view
- 01:08:13 - Change vs evolution (variation, replication, selection)
- 01:15:12 - LatinX, BIPOC and linguistic difference
- 01:17:14 - Sapir‑Whorf hypothesis

SPONSORS:

- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
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- Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44

RESOURCES:

- Video version here: https://youtu.be/pUWmTXkpHjE
- Rebecca Goldstein's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkL3BcKEB6Y
- Anil Seth's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hUEqXhDbVs
- Anil Seth's twitter: https://twitter.com/anilkseth
- Daniel Bonevac's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/PhiloofAlexandria
- Eric Weinstein interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KElq_MLO1kw
- http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.

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