File 028960

Email Chain Between Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey E. on Vision and Language (File 028960)

Academic email exchange between linguist Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey E. discussing cognitive science topics including vision systems, language acquisition, and comparative analysis of cognitive mechanisms.

Summary

This email chain from December 24, 2015 documents a discussion between Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey E. about the relationship between visual grammar and auditory/language grammar in cognitive development. The conversation covers whether vision and language systems are connected, with Chomsky arguing they are fundamentally different—vision being an input system while language is an internal capacity used for thought production. Jeffrey E. also raises geopolitical concerns about media-induced fear affecting global markets and mentions parallels between Saudi-Iran and Stalin-Churchill spheres of influence discussions.

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From: Noam Chomsky___________________
Sent: 12/24/2015 5:37:14 PM
To: jeffrey E. [jeeyacation@gmail.com]
Subject: RE: Re:
Importance: High
Very interesting topics. Would like to hear more from you about them, when we have a chance. Is it worldwide, or
mostly here?
My impression is that the fear is mostly in the US. There's nothing in (much more vulnerable) Europe comparable to the
Visa Waiver program (insanely targeting Iran, which has not been involved in terrorism, while exempting Saudi Arabia,
the source of almost all jihadi terrorism). Or Trump-style ban them all. Or Cruz-style carpet-bomb them. For a long
time, probably back to colonial days, this has been a very frightened country, maybe the safest in the world but also the
most frightened. Impressions.
Sometimes it's quite weird. By accident, I took the first flight PanAm 103 after the Lockerbie bombing, together with an
old friend, a veteran Middle East correspondent. It must have been the safest flight in human history. The plane was
empty. We were bumped up to first class because there was no one there.
From: jeffrey E. [mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 11:28 AM
To: Noam Chomsky <
Subject: Re: Re:
thought you might be interested in a new version of the percentage agreement between stalin and
churchill. Saudi and Iran doing the same, dividing spheres of influence. . it seems few people paying
attention to palestinians . maybe next generation. - israel going further right it appears. I find that media
induced fear is driving world markets. . very odd. gas prices down nobody shopping, . hotel prices down less
travel, commodity prices way down, little building. luxury market decimated. no russians or chinese
players. . still virtually zero interest rates. . borrowing not up, fear and paralysis. , ( I add these topics as to
these at least, i can speak with a modicum of knowledge )
On Thu, Dec 24, 2015 at 10:51 AM, Noam Chomsky < > wrote:
This is the program David Marr initiated, developed by Shimon Ullman and others. Makes sense, and there are some
interesting results. David was a friend, and we often discussed these topics. In fact, his famous three levels adapted a
model from generative grammar. But there was always the fundamental problem I mentioned. Vision is an input
system, crafting coherent images from lines, points of light, etc. Language is used for that purpose too, but it's not
what language is.
That fundamental difference, along with the fact that the principles involved seem quite different, has always been a
stumbling block to seeking any link.
From: jeffrey E. [mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 10:48 AM
To: Noam Chomsky <______________________
Subject: Re:
HOUSE OVERSIGHT 028960
Vision rules needed to craft coherent image . Edges? " Faggehtabowtit." Two edges crafted by software
On Thursday, December 24, 2015, Noam Chomsky <IMINIMME> wrote:
I presume that the software just guides the hardware. Don't see how that changes the considerations.
From: jeffrey E. [mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 10:09 AM
To: Noam Chomsky <
Subject: Re:
The hardware of vision is an input system, It's the software that I'm referring to .
On Thursday, December 24, 2015, Noam Chomsky <__________________> wrote:
We don't teach children language either, contrary to many beliefs. The visual grammar just grows, and as is known,
can develop in various ways depending on early experience. Same with the language grammar, though the period in
which experience has a shaping effect is much longer.
However, there are fundamental differences between vision and language. Can send you a recent paper about it if
you like. Vision is an input system. Language isn't. It's an internal capacity, a system of knowledge, which is used to
process input and also to produce thoughts (sometimes externalized). Seems also to be modality independent. And
their properties look wholly different, so it's hard to see how one could piggy-back on the other.
Noam
From: jeffrey E. [mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 9:24 AM
To: Noam Chomsky < ›;
Subject:
we dont teach children to see. they have a visual grammar built in. why wouldnt we expect some mutation
of that system to allow auditory grammar.
please note
The information contained in this communication is
confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may
constitute inside information, and is intended only for
the use of the addressee. It is the property of
JEE
Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this
communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful. If you have received this
HOUSE OVERSIGHT 028961
communication in error, please notify us immediately by
return e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, and
destroy this communication and all copies thereof,
including all attachments. copyright -all rights reserved
please note
The information contained in this communication is
confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may
constitute inside information, and is intended only for
the use of the addressee. It is the property of
JEE
Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this
communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by
return e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, and
destroy this communication and all copies thereof,
including all attachments. copyright -all rights reserved
please note
The information contained in this communication is
confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may
constitute inside information, and is intended only for
the use of the addressee. It is the property of
JEE
Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this
communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by
return e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, and
destroy this communication and all copies thereof,
including all attachments. copyright -all rights reserved
please note
The information contained in this communication is
confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may
constitute inside information, and is intended only for
the use of the addressee. It is the property of
JEE
HOUSE OVERSIGHT 028962
Unauthorized use, disclosure or copying of this
communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by
return e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, and
destroy this communication and all copies thereof,
including all attachments. copyright -all rights reserved
HOUSE OVERSIGHT 028963

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