乔姆斯基基于语言理论的自由观述评

A Critical Review of Chomsky's Linguistically-based Idea of Freedom

乔姆斯基通过对语言机能的先天性和语言使用的创造性研究,清楚地认识到人的本质特征和自由的重要性。他认为,自由是保障人的语言能力和其他先天认知能力得以充分发挥的必要条件,一个理想社会必须提供符合人性发展的环境,使人成为自由、自主的个体。这种在语言观影响下产生的自由观有其独特性,它把人的本质与价值看作是自由的基础和目的,把人天生的心智机能看做是自由的限度,把言论和思想自由放在核心位置,丰富了自由的内涵。

Chomsky＇s research on the innateness of the language faculty and the creativity in daily language use gives Chomsky a clearer vision of the human nature and the importance of freedom to it. Freedom is what allows the language faculty and other innate cognitive abilities to fully unfold themselves. An ideal society should be free enough to permit aspects of human nature to flourish, and to allow human beings to develop as autonomous individuals. Such a linguistically-based idea of freedom is unique in that it regards the development of human nature as its basis and aim, considers various human faculties to be the only constraints on freedom, and treats the freedom of thought and speech as core values, and thus enriches the concept of freedom.