Avram Noam Chomsky (Philadelphia, 1928) is one of the most influential living intellectuals of our time. A pioneer of transformational and generative grammar, he revolutionized the analysis of traditional linguistics to elevate it to the category of modern science. For the author of works such as Syntactic Structures (1957), Language and understanding (1968) o On nature and language (2001), the human brain possesses the innate ability to adapt to language. This explains why young children can learn a language as if it were part of their genetics.
With this argument, the author argues the existence of a universal grammar that encompasses all existing language relations from its formulation to its application in everyday life. Thus, Chomsky has also been recognized in the field of education and computer science, for his contributions in this field in his work titled Three models for the description of language, (1956) where he established correspondences between language and computers. Hierarchies that today have sought to bring to the field of translation.
In addition to his scientific contributions in these fields, Chomsky is also recognized for his philosophical thought and political activism, mainly in the United States, but whose analyses are of utmost importance for investigating the current problems facing the world.
Interested in climate change, democracy, education and the media, Chomsky has defined himself as an anarchist, who seeks to denounce the political ambitions of the American government. His essay "The Responsibility of Intellectuals", published for the New York Review of Books in 1967, during the course of the Vietnam War, stands out in this field. This brought the author to public attention as one of the leading American intellectuals.
Currently, Chomsky's works, as well as his analyses and opinions revolve around the current situation, the capitalist system and the problems that globalization has brought with it. An example of this are his books: Who rules the world? (2014), Consequences of capitalism (2020) o, Change or Die: Capitalism, Climate Crisis and the Green New Deal (2020), in which he not only analyses the political economy and climate change, but also proposes, together with economist Robert Pollin, a global Green New Deal that would lead to the elimination of carbon emissions.
Like so many writers whose thought transgresses the circles of power, Chomsky has not been recognized as he should in the field of politics, however, his interviews and, above all, his work - materialization of his ideas - have left on the scientific field relevant contributions for the rethinking of transcendental issues for humanity. From his linguistic theories to his proposals to inhabit a more just and sustainable world, they are an example of an intellectual who exercises his right to thought, opinion, writing and knowledge.
At 93 years of age and with a vast body of work, Noam Chomsky continues to be a prolific author, whose ideas are striking for their lucidity and certainty. He is also an author who still believes in democracy, activism and youth. In his last interview he said:
I hope that the young people who are demonstrating in the streets of Glasgow, the miners in the United States who are embracing sustainable energy transition programs and many others like them can gain ascendancy and take the feasible steps within their power to create a much better world than the one we have, the world that the people of this planet deserve? 1
Words that reflect hope and the legacy of (possibly) the last living American linguist to be read.
1 Quote taken from the following link: https://www.democracynow.org/es/2021/12/7/noam_chomsky_93rd_birthday
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