Language as a dynamical system

Despite considerable diversity among theories about how humans process language, there are a number of fundamental assumptions which are shared by most such theories. This consensus extends to the very basic question about what counts as a cognitive process. So although many cognitive scientists are fond of referring to the brain as a ‘mental organ’ (e.g., Chomsky, 1975)—implying a similarity to other organs such as the liver or kidneys—it is also assumed that the brain is an organ with special properties which set it apart. Brains ‘carry out computation’ (it is argued); they ‘entertain propositions’; and they ‘support representations’. Brains may be organs, but they are very different than the other organs found in the body.