Over 60 years ago, a radically new approach to language and mind called Generative Grammar was initiated by Noam Chomsky. In 1974, at MIT, Chomsky and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini opened a convergent field: biolinguistics. This field has witnessed an impressive development ever since, in terms of experiments, dedicated journals, books, articles, conferences and teaching. In this webinar, Piattelli-Palmarini in conversation with Professor Martin Monti (UCLA), will offer a non-specialistic panorama of these developments, in a field that is still fully growing.
Opening remarks by the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles Silvia Chiave and moderated by Professor Martin Monti (UCLA). Introduction by Cinzia Zuffada, JPL Associate Chief Scientist, President of ISSNAF and recipient of the 2021 IIC Creativity Award for Science.
Organized on the occasion of Italian Research Day and as part of the series #weareISSNAF.
Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini is professor of linguistics, cognitive science and psychology at the University of Arizona. A personal friend of, co-author and co-teacher with, Noam Chomsky, he has contributed to the development of biolinguistics and of linguistic neuroscience over several years, not only academically, but also as a science journalist, contributing to Il Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, La Repubblica and Il Foglio. He is also the author of several professional and popularization books published in Italy.
Martin Monti is Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Neurosurgery at the University of California Los Angeles. His work is focuses on two of the most characterizing aspects of the human mind: (i) What is the relationship between our language and our thoughts? And (ii) what is consciousness and how is it lost and recovered after severe brain injury? Dr Monti’s work has been featured in some of the best academic journals and popular media outlets.