Language as Kluge: The Imperfect Evolution of Human Cognition - 2008

Explore a thought-provoking lecture on the imperfections of human cognition and language. Delve into Gary Marcus's argument against the notion of humans as perfectly rational beings, challenging recent scholarly claims about the optimality of human cognition and language. Examine the concept of evolutionary inertia and its impact on the development of the human mind. Discover how Marcus proposes viewing the mind and language as a "kluge" - a clumsy yet effective solution - rather than a perfectly engineered system. Investigate various aspects of linguistic theory, Bayesian decision theory, confirmation bias, and the limitations of evolution in shaping human cognitive abilities. Analyze examples from syntax, memory, vision, and parsing to support the idea of the mind as a product of evolutionary compromises. Gain insights into the complex interplay between biology, cognition, and language, and consider the implications of this perspective for our understanding of human nature and the development of artificial intelligence.

Introduction
Linguistic Theory
Human Languages
Virtual Conceptual Necessity
Bayesian Decision Theory
Confirmation Bias
Time Scales
Evolution has no foresight
Local maximum
Does your back hurt
Evolution builds clues for
Lack of foresight
Ambiguity
In a hurry
Release humans
Descent with modification
Evolution is like a tinker
Evolutionary inertia
Evolution and Kluge
Syntax
Memory
Context Dependent Memory
Safe Deposit Boxes
Memories
Tables
Engine
Treelets
Modularity Theory
Approximation
Garden Path sentences
Computer memory
Local confusion
Vision
Width
Escher
Recap
Parsers
Evolution of shaped competence
Ambiguity in language
Boaz Khazar