No sólo genes: El programa minimalista y la reformulación de la noción de innatismo

Víctor M. Longa

Resumen


Not only genes: The Minimalist program and the reformulation of the idea of innate

The Minimalist Program has developed a new approach on the language faculty which strongly contrasts with preceding stages of the Generative Grammar in a number of relevant topics. Among other consequences, such an approach reduces the role of the genetic endowment for language, and considers the language faculty to be the result of epigenetic processes rather than the outcome of purely genetic ones. Accordingly, the Minimalist Program redefines the very notion of innateness: As opposed to the generative tradition (and to the neo-Darwinian framework as well), in this model the notions of genetic trait and innate traits are no longer conflated. This paper aims at exploring at length these issues, and it also makes the point that the minimalist turn is well supported by current biological thinking.

 

Key words: Minimalist Program, language faculty, language development, nativism, innate trait, genetic trait, genetic blueprint, Developmental Systems Theory.

 


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