2023-24

What is the relationship between physical processes in the brain and body and the processes of thought and consciousness that constitute our mental life? Philosophers and others have puzzled over this question for millennia. Many have concluded it to be intractable. In recent decades, the field of cognitive science--encompassing philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and other disciplines--has proposed a new form of answer. The driving idea is that the interaction of the mental and the physical may be understood via a third level of analysis: that of the computational. This course offers a critical introduction to the elements of this approach, and surveys some of the alternative models and theories that fall within it. Readings are drawn from a range of historical and contemporary sources in philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and computer science. (B) (II)

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

This discussion-based course covers cross-linguistic evidence concerning similarities and dissimilarities in how children learn language across diverse language communities. Each year will revolve around a central topic. This year we will focus on the acquisition of phonology.

W 1:30pm-4:20pm

Over the past several decades, linguists and anthropologists have discovered scores of new languages emerging in communities around the world, offering unprecedented scientific opportunities to address important questions previously deemed intractable, like: Where does language come from? How do our experiences of the world influence the way our languages are structured? At what level of abstraction can language be studied as an autonomous object of analysis? Crucially we will investigate the social, demographic, environmental, linguistic, and modality (vision, speech, touch), factors that contribute to the formation of a new language. The readings will include both required foundational theoretical works and case studies of new languages that have been documented within the last ten years, which we will gather into a course resource for students to explore.

M 1:30pm-4:20pm

Variation is a ubiquitous feature of speech, yet much of the variation observed is non-random. This class will examine this type of structured heterogeneity (Weinreich et al., 1968) from the point of view of sociophonetics. We will focus on the interrelationships between phonetic/phonological form and social factors such as speaking style and the background of the speaker, with a particular interest in explaining the origins and transmission of linguistic change. Our goals will be to (a) acquire the phonetic and phonological foundation necessary to conduct sociophonetic research through practical exercises; (b) survey new sociolinguistic research that addresses issues in phonetic and phonological theories and (c) locate and explain phonetic variation in its social context while drawing on current approaches to the relationship between language and society. 

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

In this interdisciplinary course, students will delve into the multifaceted world of large language models (LLMs), investigating their computational, cognitive, and social dimensions. The course covers an array of topics, such as the history and evolution of LLMs, computational underpinnings like neural networks and training methodologies, cognitive aspects of human-like language understanding, communication, and creativity, as well as crucial ethical and social considerations, encompassing fairness, transparency, trustworthiness, and privacy. Through both lectures and discussions, we will examine the scientific and practical applications and limitations of LLMs across diverse domains and contemplate the future prospects and challenges LLMs pose for science, technology, and society. Through critical discourse, hands-on exercises, and case studies, our goal is to foster a comprehensive understanding of LLMs, empowering students to critically assess these models and contribute to ongoing dialogues regarding their broader implications. Prior experience in computer science or cognitive science is beneficial but not mandatory. Note: this course primarily focuses on cultivating reflective thinking about LLMs, rather than programming or implementation. Students with programming skills are, however, encouraged to utilize them to facilitate their learning.

M W 3:00pm-4:20pm

An introduction to the concepts and principles of symbolic logic. We learn the syntax and semantics of truth-functional and first-order quantificational logic, and apply the resultant conceptual framework to the analysis of valid and invalid arguments, the structure of formal languages, and logical relations among sentences of ordinary discourse. Occasionally we will venture into topics in philosophy of language and philosophical logic, but our primary focus is on acquiring a facility with symbolic logic as such.

T Th 9:30am-10:50am

This course is an introduction to the study of speech sounds and their patterning in the world's languages. The first half of the course focuses on how speech sounds are described with respect to their articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual structures. There are lab exercises both in phonetic transcription and in the acoustic analysis of speech sounds. The second half focuses on fundamental notions that have always been central to phonological analysis and that transcend differences between theoretical approaches: contrast, neutralization, natural classes, distinctive features, and basic phonological processes (e.g., assimilation).

T Th 11:00am-12:20pm

This course offers a brief survey of how linguists analyze the structure and the use of language. Looking at the structure of language means understanding what phonemes, words, and sentences are, and how each language establishes principles for the combinations of these things and for their use; looking at the use of language means understanding the ways in which individuals and groups use language to declare their social identities and the ways in which languages can change over time. The overarching theme is understanding what varieties of language structure and use are found across the world's languages and cultures, and what limitations on this variety exist.

M W 12:30pm-1:20pm