A Return to the Bicameral?
Clifford Elliott Noble II
Nagasaki Language
Research Institute
April 1997
Abstract
This article is an argument to Noam Chomsky's assertion that "one cannot simply deduce social and political consequences from any insights into language"(Chomsky, 1988: 394). In Chomsky's analysis of the human brain, he suggests that unconscious cognitive architectures and processes were genetically designed to impel humans to seek freedom and a deeper understanding of themselves such as is characteristic of an anarchist form of government. This appears contradictive to Chomsky's previous assertion because he admits that "language is central to everything we do; therefore, a deep understanding of language is prerequisite to a deeper understanding of humanity"(Chomsky, 1988: 17-18). It would stand to reason, therefore, that social and political consequences can be deduced from insights into language since a deep understanding of humanity is a valid predictor of social and political behavior. What Chomsky fails to subscribe to in his works is that the human will is very much a part of the innate cognitive structures of the language domain, and that those structures of will exist not because of the infinite number of productions a human can create with a finite number of rules, rather they exist because of the finite nature of man. This article attempts to show that without such structures, the human race would destroy itself just as the Bicameral civilization of Julian Jaynes was destroyed. Chomsky is a scientist and he is reluctant to make bolder assertions on the role of the human will without scientific evidence, such as the author's belief that cognitive structures of human will exist within the innate architectures of the language domain. But Chomsky clearly admits that "in principle, there are almost certainly true scientific theories that our genetically determined brain structure will prevent us from ever understanding" (Chomsky, 1988: 416). This article assumes that computer technology and language are expressions of the human will and that the human will becomes intensified within authoritarian frameworks of power. To illustrate these relationships, the American power structure is defined within the context of Alvin Toffler's (1990) formula for power: (Knowledge + Wealth + Potential for Violence = Power). Examples of language and computer technology within that power structure are specifically illustrated to include their uses in the democratic processes of Congress, foreign relations, security, domestic justice, language research, language preservation, and in dream theory. In conclusion, language and computer technology are viewed as aspects of the mind which help us define the source of willpower and of creation itself. With that insight, humans can certainly take more responsibility for their actions and lay predictable foundations for their own future--politically and socially--through insights into language.
Introduction
What drives humans to build and use computer systems to discover the brain's seemingly innate structures and processes? Are unconscious cognitive processes genetically designed to impel humans to seek freedom and a deeper understanding of themselves as Noam Chomsky asserts? Is the brain designed to fire rebellious counterattacks of neurons against mental representations of authoritarian structures that appear to suppress creative processes? Does this frictional process make humans more aware of their physical finiteness? Does this awareness create in humans a willpower with which to try to overcome that inevitable state? If so, why do deplorable acts against humanity continue as evidenced throughout history--the unleashing of the atomic bomb, the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of Chinese in mainland China, millions of Jews in Germany, Vietnamese children and their parents, American boys at home and abroad, Kurdish youth, and the massacre of thousands in Timor? Will such extreme behavior lead to the annihilation of the human race as Chomsky predicts by the 21st century (Chomsky, 1988: 256)? These questions beckon a responsibility to better understand the underlying forces behind human thought and action--of language itself--because ...."language is central to everything we do; therefore, a deep understanding of language is prerequisite to a deeper understanding of humanity" (Chomsky, 1988: 17-18).
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to make an argument with Chomsky's statement that "one cannot simply deduce social and political consequences from any insights into language" (Chomsky, 1988: 394). The argument assumes that language and computer technology (production systems) are similar in structure and they operate in parallel with existing power structures as a result of the human will to overcome their own finiteness, and that inasmuch as cognitive processes are genetically designed to impel humans to seek freedom and a deeper understanding of themselves, as Chomsky himself asserted, then a rich insight into language can in fact help us deduce social and political consequences which are within our own control. My perceptions are further based on the anarchist assumption that humans possess an innate instinct for freedom, which manifests itself through language and through products of technology (Chomsky, 1988: 616). Practical illustrations of language and computer technology in various sociopolitical institutions are presented in support of this approach on the basis of Noam Chomsky's assumption--that language is culture, and that "only through cultural transmission can the human species become less imperfect" (Chomsky,1988: 58).
Background
Some linguists define mind as an aspect of the brain (Chomsky, 1988: 45). Likewise, computer technology could be thought of as an aspect or tool of the mind. Cognitive scientists use this tool to build cognitive architectures with computers to discover and explain one mysterious aspect of cognition, the human language. Cognitive architectures are proposals about the structures of human cognition. In simple terms, these cognitive architectures are known as production systems. Production systems are created with computers and they are neurally and psychologically inspired (Anderson, 1993: 1-15). There is a striking parallel between the structure of these production systems and our current understanding of the functioning of cognitive systems within the brain; in particular, language. Thus, computer technology assists humans in understanding their thought processes and ultimately, their choices and actions.
The Nature of Humans and Julian Jaynes' Theory
From within one cerebral sphere of the human brain, Wernicke's Area and Broca's Area help recognize and express the forms and uses of computer technology (Bayles, 1981: 308-326); but the psychological agents that conceived computer technology lay deep within the nature of man--where the forgotten language of Erich Fromm speaks in dreams--where fear of aloneness confronts conscious realities; thus, impelling the need for communication, control and social order (Fromm, 1951, 1956, & 1968). The point is that humans are finite creatures. We know it. Therefore people strive to create allusions of everlasting life in this physical world. Julian Jaynes' theory and Biblical literature support this proposition, ie., " the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech" (Thompson, 1988, Genesis 11: 1) and the human race tried to touch the source of eternal life by building the Tower of Babel, where faith was traded for consciousness.
Julian Jaynes argues that human brains from about 9000 to 1000 BC were bicameral, ie [sic] that the known hallucinatory area in the right temporal lobe processed information intuitively and issued auditory, god-like commands through the anterior commissure to Wernicke's area in the left hemisphere, where the message was relayed or enacted...such minds would operate, learn, think, react and retain equilibrium as ours do, unconsciously. (Hampden-Turner, 1981: 90)
Bicameral minds obeyed divine executors. As bicameral civilizations multiplied, so did divine executors. This caused confusion. The volcanic eruptions of the island of Thera brought about the ultimate state of confusion in the 20th century BC. Half of the world became refuge. The continent of Atlantis was submerged. Julian Jaynes' "bicameral mind" fell off line from the divine message center. Thereafter, barbaric societies terrorized post bicameral civilization into a state of permanent consciousness (Hampden-Turner, 1981: 91-93). Today, 3000-4000 years after the extinction of bicameral civilizations, computer technology is the modern manager of mankind's complicated state of consciousness. Where this leads is speculative, but history and current events document a continued struggle for control and the reestablishment of one language. Computer technology may be instrumental in creating this reality, but this is impossible to conceive without understanding the power structure that breeds it.
Language as a Means of Control
Control by means of language is documented through war, commerce, religion, art and science. As an example through war, English was designated as the official language of Papua New Guinea after WW II even though more than 738 distinct languages per 200 thousand people existed in some parts of that country due to geographical constraints such as high mountains, deep valleys and dispersed islands (Husen & Neville, 1985: 3353-3358). As an example through commerce, safety, and international transportation, English was designated the official language of aviation in over 162 nations of the world by the International Civil Aviation Organization headquartered in Canada (ICAO, 1990: 9). History is full of religious campaigns and scientific accomplishments that empowered nation status and their ability to exert global influence upon other cultures. Some cultures have been nearly abolished by others, such as American Indian tribes by Indo-European language based cultures, or the natives of Cuba by Spain (Hawthorne, 1898: 1062). Such actions affect language.
Noam Chomsky said that "language is culture and culture is language." Accordingly, if there were one culture on this earth, logic would have it that there would be a universal language such as that theorized above by Julian Jaynes; thus, ideally speaking, less need to compete for control and power. But this is currently not the case. Many cultures exist that are competing for control. Powerful nations disguise true intentions towards less powerful nations. They wear humanitarian cloaks to gain economic or militaristic advantage while simultaneously using humanitarian gestures to suppress guilt (Chomsky, 1988: 32-33). Powerful nations' citizens have become the shadow worshipers of Plato's Republic (as cited in Fromm, Erich, & Xirave, 1968) who elect to believe what they want to imagine, rather than dealing with the truth. It is a psychological tactic which attempts to justify actions that guarantee control, and a higher standard of living above others' (Chomsky: 191, 390).
Computer Technology as a Means of Control
Computer technology can be used to intensify this practice. This is war in its most deceptive, potent, yet modern form. Antithetically, computer arsenals are able to store cartridges of global hope, health, opportunity, and peace. It boils down to choices. How will mankind use the power of computer technology--responsibly or irresponsibly? This depends on the will of controllers and of the controlled.
Control is the power to guide or manage. It can take direct and indirect form. Direct control is when individuals affect the behavior of others through "implicit or explicit threat of dire consequences"; whereas, indirect control is characteristic of giving individuals incentive to motivate them to behave in a certain ways (Stiglitz, 1993:81-82). In governments, control is a political current. Controllers use language and computer technology to add voltage to their current. To measure the degree of control which any culture can exert upon another necessarily involves defining the relationships and uses of the elements that comprise it. Acquiring a basic understanding of the power structure it operates in is equally necessary. Computer technology and language in the context of the American power structure help illustrate these relationships.
The American Power Structure
Should one review the order of the president's cabinet, and study the titles and functions of the divisions within each cabinet department, the very infrastructure of power within our government would become readily apparent; moreover, a striking relationship appears among those entities and Alvin Toffler's (1990) formula for power:
Aside from the Vice President, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate (in that order), the following cabinet secretaries stand in line to assume the presidency of the United States should the president die or otherwise become incapacitated. They serve as president as long as the president is disabled, or until another election is held (Croteau and Worcester, 1993: 17).
Secretary of State. This cabinet member is the fourth in line to succeed the president should the president die or become incapacitated. Eight divisions fall under the State Department. They are the Bureau of Consular Affairs; Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs; Bureau of Intelligence and Research; Bureau of International Organization Affairs; Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs; Foreign Service; and the Office of Protocol The Department of State contains all three elements of Toffler's (1990) formula for power:
Bureau of Intelligence and Research = Knowledge
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs = Wealth
Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs = Potential for Violence.
Secretary of the Treasury. This cabinet member is the fifth in line to succeed the president should he die or become incapacitated. Eight divisions fall under the Treasury Department. They are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Bureau of Engraving and Printing; Comptroller of the Currency; Internal Revenue Service; Office of Thrift Supervision; U.S. Customs Service; U.S. Mint; and the U.S. Secret Service (Croteau and Worcester 1993: 19). The Department of Treasury contains all of the aforementioned elements as well:
Bureau of Engraving and Printing = Knowledge
Comptroller of the Currency = Wealth
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms = Potential for Violence.
Secretary of Defense. This cabinet member is the sixth in line to succeed the president should he die or become incapacitated. Three divisions fall under the Department of Defense. They are the Air Force Department; Army Department; and the Navy Department. The Department of Defence contains the most potent form of potential for violence in the form of land, sea, and air strikes. Knowledge and wealth are necessarily developed and sustained through government awarded research and development contracts with the Pentagon, industry, and educational institutions themselves; whereas, potential for violence is evidenced through the advent of war itself. The remaining cabinet-level departments follow the above triclad power-structure for succeeding the president in the event of death or incapacitation: Secretaries of Interior (preceded by the Attorney General); Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and finally, the Secretary of Veteran Affairs.
Now, how does this power-base tie in with computer technology and language? Let's take a look at our Congress, without which, the laws of this land and our ultimate expression of leadership, the presidency, would not exist.
Uses of Language and Computer Technology
Computer technology has now made possible an electronic congress. Remember, congress presents bills to the president to sign into law. The language written into those bills determines the nature of our democracy and directly impacts our lifestyles and freedoms in this country. The electronic congress increases the knowledge base of the average American citizen; thus helping place control of the government back into the hands of the people rather than hiding issues in embedded paper work which takes months to acquire and evaluate before making an intelligent decision for whom to vote. Right now, state legislators have the ability to access the text of bills and amendment proposals on line. Currently, congress spends over 150 million dollars for information services. New state of the art fiber optic networking links congress with support agencies such as the Library of Congress and to the Office of Technology Assessment. It is now feasible for congress to make all committee hearing transcripts available electronically and to create guidelines and standards for a "refined information handling infrastructure" and to increase its use of CD ROM and video based technologies (Chartrand and Ketcham, 1994). Such capabilities could also be applied to and have a direct impact upon the "Triad of Power" by checking any inappropriate abuse of power, expediting unclassified approvals, and in cases where security clearances are required, classified decisions can be expedited or internal procedures promptly evaluated to undermine intent to commit or guise illegal activities under the "failure to disclose due to National Security guidelines," or through abuse of executive privilege.
The University of California now has access to on-line databases to obtain full texts of selected information published by the United States Government such as congressional records, congressional bills, laws, United States Code, economic indicators and general accounting office (GAO)reports. For example, at the time of this publication, the Congressional Documents database contains Congressional Documents for the 104th Congress (1995-1996) and the Economic Report of the President that includes: 1) current and foreseeable trends and annual numerical goals concerning topics such as employment, unemployment, production, real income and Federal budget outlays; 2) employment objectives for significant groups of the labor force; 3) annual numeric goals and 4) a plan for carrying out program objectives, and which is transmitted to congress no later than ten days after the submission of the budget.
Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution Skills
Often times, a person's intonation or choice of words can make the difference in agreement or disagreement between or among parties. This is due to sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic factors. Such factors in diplomacy may be nonverbal as well. Consider a Western diplomat who crosses his leg to show that he feels relaxed with a diplomat from India. In crossing his leg, he reveals the bottom of his foot to the Indian diplomat. This is one of the greatest insults one could give to someone from that culture (Afia Dil, personal communication, Sept., 1990). However unintended or innocent, the damage is nearly irreversible. In world affairs which the Department of State may be involved, issues may be influenced by such nonverbal factors. There can never be enough training in preparing a diplomat for diplomacy.
One of the powers of Congress (specifically, the House of the Senate) is to consent or disapprove of the President's nominations of ambassadors, public ministers, consuls and judges of the Supreme Court before they are officially appointed (Croteau and Worcester, 1993: 17). These appointments are by their very nature demanding of qualified persons who possess a keen sensitivity to diverse cultural backgrounds and the experience necessary to communicate effectively and make sound and fair judgments or analysis of political situations. If all the world were monolingual, such qualifications might be less stringent because language is culture; but today's case is not so simple and demands multicultural interaction and a means for improving conflict-resolution skills.
Computer technology has come to the aid of such diplomatic resolution conflict scenarios well beyond the "shoe sole" issue. MIT has developed a computerized conflict resolution model to resolve violent ethnic conflicts in Russia. The US Institute of Peace is conducting research in adapting high speed computer modeling to help negotiators analyze complex problems and anticipate results from alternative strategies. It helps the negotiator to pinpoint where disagreements or misunderstandings exist. Verbal and nonverbal considerations are important issues in such a model. An ambassador from the former Soviet Union, Ambassador Victor Issraelyan, said that "casual modeling explains the dynamics of ethnic tension and helps shape and predict outcomes" (U.S. Institute of Peace, 1993).
Determent of Crime
Computer technology has now helped the U.S. Secret Service and The Department of Treasury through Agent Yorick which is a new computerized security camera that may assist divisions of tobacco, firearms, currency, and customs, etc.,. Agent Yorick tracks burglars visually and can "duck" if attacked and then continue to scan the attacker's actions. Agent Yorick has an active computer-vision that lets him calculate the speed of an object moving towards him and then predict its future position. It does this by flipping its lens inward for protection and then returns unharmed to the scene. It also has the additional ability to identify shapes of humans, animals, and cars. This ability sends a nonverbal message to the assailant which discourages wrong doing. (University of Oxford Department of Engineering Science, 1994).
A Computer Lexicon
The Department of Commerce now faces new computer terminology. New terms such as global public telephones, universal mailboxes, road warriors, and Virtual Organizations (businesses which operate without walls) have emerged. A new language is swelling from computer technology ... a new lexicon if you will. Road warriors are business people of multiple nationalities who conduct business from all forms of transportation with new hardware tools and wireless links which are tapped in to land based communication highways to break time and space barriers. Universal mailboxes are where road warriors download. Global public telephone networks are now implemented by At & T and used by powerful businesses to get the job done fast to squash competition. Third world employees who are trained by and who work for industrialized nations' businesses for less money may operate from Third World countries on this system and could threaten to take jobs from high cost labor forces in first and second world countries. Potential for piggybacking is a reality which will undoubtedly raise the standard of living in second and third world countries at the expense of research and development of taxpayers and governments in advanced countries. A new world order and a redistribution of wealth (power shift) is in the making and computer technology and language are its primary catalysts (Bleeker, 1994); thus, the importance of computer technology as it relates to language in politics, economics, and society appears indispensable for a changing world. If aliens were to view human interaction and behavior with computers, they might conclude that the computer is a divine executor (Chomsky, 1988: 401).
Language and Computers
As early as 1950, men have pondered the question: "Does the computer have a human mind or a soul?" The question of soul is beyond the scope of this paper; however, Alan Turing, a famous British mathematician, does suggest that God could place a soul in any vessel he so desired; it's just beyond the imagination of mankind to accept such a theory. But in regards to mind, the computer appears to have the ability to imitate the human mind, and with much higher accuracy. Additionally, the computer builds upon past knowledge to empower itself. When knowledge of the past and present are combined, predictions can be made about the future the same way that humans predict; and again, with astounding accuracy--accuracy which appears to be based on the same cognitive processes that some language performance outcomes are based upon.
Noam Chomsky's law of universal grammar and the views of Wilhelm von Humboldt states there is an infinite number of sentences which can be created in this universe by the human mind (Chomsky, 1988: 379). Likewise, Turing says "there is no theoretical difficulty in the idea of a computer with an unlimited storage capacity... infinitive capacity computers" (Turing, 1950: 438-439). This parallel demonstrates the similarities in computers and language. Both are a product of the mind and both are needed to define each other's functioning. The question is, "are there any uncomputable [sic] parts of thinking?" Even if there were, it still may be possible to model such cognitive processes on computers from mathematical theories of uncomputability [sic]" (Kugel, 1986). For example, it is demonstrated that humans have an edge over computers in certain environments that require visual-spacial rotation skills like the game of chess. Gary Kasparov, the world chess champion, beat Deep Thought in 1989, the most sophisticated computerized chess game that could consider millions of moves in comparison to human's 100 moves. He beat Deep Thought because he could think in patterns while Deep Thought was programmed to think in a serial (linear) way with a time constraint (Anderson, 1990: 454-455). If production systems (cognitive architectures) were used by Deep Thought to analyze through pattern matching (Anderson, 1983: 30-33), the outcome may have been different. That brings us back to the basic question that Turing dealt with in 1950: Can computers think? Perhaps they can assist in very powerful ways. Lets go back to reality and take a look at an application of computer technology and language in America's System of Justice.
Sign Language and Computer Technology in the Courtroom
Computers were used in the murder trial of Joanne Ripio at Broome County Court to convict a woman who was born deaf. Joanne Ripio was convicted of conspiring with her teenage son, Roy G. Rowe Jr., in 1990 to kill her husband, Thomas Ripio, 49.
Computers were used in the courtroom to assist in translation of testimony along with sign language interpretations. Ripio's deafness was an issue throughout the trial and in 1991, Judge Martin E. Smith declared that Ripio was not adequately advised of her rights when she was questioned hours after the killing. The judge threw out statements of how and why she killed her husband. An appeals court agreed that most of her statement to police was inadmissible but it preserved the prosecution's case by letting her declaration "I had to kill him," to be used against her. The day before convicting her, the jury heard testimony from a linguistics expert who said Ripio may have been quoting her son rather than expressing her own thoughts. Court officials went to great lengths to ensure that the defendant understood. Two court-appointed interpreters took turns relating testimony in sign language while her personal interpreter sat at the defense table to enable the defendant and her lawyer to converse. Set up throughout the courtroom were video screens linked to the court reporter's stenographic machine. There were screens for the reporter, the defendant, the judge, and the prosecutor; and one screen facing the seats for the few deaf people who attended the trial. A court reporter recorded the testimony, it was translated, and flashed onto the screens in question and answer format, much like closed-captioning TV shows. Computers have been used in New York courtrooms since 1990 to provide real-time translation. As early as 1992, a captioning system for a deaf lawyer was used in a U.S. Supreme Court case, and several states, including Arizona, Alabama, and Alaska, have computer integrated courtrooms. (Kates, 1993: 2).
reprinted with permission
Computers for the Preservation of Language
Another use of computer technology, language and linguistics is to preserve language itself! Russell Bernard, a professor of anthropology at the University of Florida has been helping native speakers from all over the world tap into the power of computers at the world's first publishing center for indigenous languages. Using word-processing programs like Gutenberg, native speakers have learned to digitally refashion alphabets created by missionaries for Bible translations to affordably publish works in their own languages for the first time; Native speakers from Cameroon demonstrated that even tonal languages -- in which the meanings of the words depended on the pitch at which they're pronounced-- could be composed on computers. Culture which would otherwise be eaten up by modern life can be preserved with computers.
Native people have been told for too long that they have to give up their ethnicity in order to participate in politics and economy. If they continue to speak their language, they're told they won't get a job... but when authors publish books, in a native language, they begin to restore its prestige. People start to see that they can make a living with words, that their language is a valuable commodity. (Bilger, 1994: 12).
Computers for Language Analysis
Computer technology has also allowed for the use of computer-assisted language analysis systems ( CALAS) which was developed by Rush at Ohio State University in 1974. CALAS was designed to parse text into grammatical components and for categorizing verb types. It has been used in studying the natural language of speakers in psychotherapy, and in assertiveness training. Therapeutic remarks could be made through its use with human interaction and rules and procedures of languages to stimulate psychoanalytic discourse. The Syntactic Language Computer Analysis System of Cummings and Renshaw (1979) identified eight variables of "perceptual propositions of experience" that corresponded to parts of speech ( nouns, pronouns, prepositions, adjectives, verbs, etc.,.). Measures of the frequency of these categories have correlated with variables like dogmatism and Machiavellianism. The CALAS system could easily analyze frequencies of parts of speech to each other in context of human speech. It was discovered that people who have a higher ratio of clauses to main clauses in their writing have greater grammatical complexity. For example, it was found through this methodology that Hemingway is less complex than Faulkner.
MacCALAS is a streamlined Macintosh version of CALAS that can parse transcripts of spoken text into grammatical components and categorize verb types and compute ratio measures of stylistic complexity and proportions of verb types. This allows for linguistic analysis of texts and dyadic interaction like psychotherapy and language development. For example, it has the ability to show the extent of change in variables like utterance, content, and style. It could help identify gender differences in stylistic complexity which are presumed. It could be used to illustrate student use of particular grammatical and rhetorical styles in English composition classes and speech classes. It can be used in the linguistic analysis of written text as well as the natural language of speakers in a variety of interactions. (Gervasio, 1992).
Computers are also used in sociolinguistics research on human-computer interaction from perspectives of conversational analysis (Morrow, Rodvold, and Lee, 1994), cognitive anthropology, speech act theory and the ethnography of speaking. "Computers are beginning to be seen as dialogue partners to explore classic issues of shared understanding, mutual intelligibility, and the relationship of human action to the social and material world" (May, 1991: 529).
They are also being used to determine the structure of the bilingual lexicon within the brain. For example, the Stroop Color and Word test have been conducted with computers to determine the level of interference of irrelevant input on first and second language performance. It was found that the ability to control interference in the first and second language positively correlates to the level of proficiency in each language. It further showed that conscious control and automaticity (lack of control) each subserve different functions of our cognitive system (Tzelgov, 1990).
Computers in Dream Theory
Computers have even been used to attempt to invalidate dream theory. Freudian "dreamwork" and the cognitive and operational patterns were reconstructed by computer scientists. These scientists tried to invalidate Freud's theory by testing it on the basis of purging information stored in a computer's random access memory. If you recall, Freud said that truth lay in our dreams, but due to social pressures, our mind creates distortions and disguises so we can hide the truth to allow us to accept society's standards of normality. Apparently, the scientists didn't take this into consideration. If our conscious mind were the RAM and our subconscious mind the ROM, simply purging the RAM would still leave the memory intact within our subconscious mind. It is the interaction between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind that creates illusions to help us cope in this physical world. (Klaczko-Ryndziun, 1988; abstract)
Summary
In summary, computer technology and language, within the context of a power structure, is a mighty force which has real and subjective impact on our immediate future on this planet. An overview of the uses of language and technology was presented for effect. As anyone can now see, computer technology, like nuclear energy, can be used for good or evil. Now, mankind is able to extend his will on humanity at a much faster pace from positions of power in politics, economics, society, and education. Integrating this new ability with language, in effect, increases the speed at which a universal culture can be attained; hopefully one of truth and peace.
Will it take us back to Julian Jaynes' bicameral civilization? Will advanced computer technology create and redefine god-like commands which humans unconsciously obey? Are we doing that already in a conscious way without admitting it? If so, have we given birth to a tricameral mind--or has the bicameral executor simply been repositioned to the left cerebral hemisphere where it ordered the computer? As Noam Chomsky said, it is futile to " ...simply deduce social and political consequences from any insights into language," but in contradiction, he did say that the innate structures of the mind may be designed to lead humans to a richness of understanding of human action and thought. These innate structures, he felt, were naturally designed to find spaces for freedom and to instinctively repel structures of authority that would "limit and distort intrinsic human capacities and needs, and to lay a theoretical basis for a social theory that eventuates in practical ideas to overcome them" (Chomsky, 1988: 394).
I believe this is true even of the authority that death creates for humans in this physical world. There is a real spirituality about mankind that cannot be overcome even by the greatest forces of nature of this limited world. If we were to destroy our existence as we know it on this planet then new energy would emerge in a form to resurrect it. It is what I call the energy of genesis. That is what the human will is. For Noam Chomsky, that was the innate mind and all of its the underlying structures because his experience and state of innocence was affected most by his father through the study of language and of politics with his uncle. Language and politics helped him see that in every part of humanity, there existed doors of freedom which lead to the original state of creativity. What Noam Chomsky failed to recognize (or at least failed to admit) was that this original state of creativity is the Creator. The Creator, therefore, is the source of Perfect Will.
Noam Chomsky admits that the human brain was probably genetically engineered to place limitations on a complete understanding of our nature (Chomsky, 1988: 416). Just as a fish is born in water, the fish does not recognize the water to be the very source of life--until it is placed in some condition, by chance or by fate--to exist without water. At that point, the fish is compelled to face his conscious condition--much like the bicameral mind--to use all the wits that are available to it to get back to the source of life--water. Had the fish never experienced the life awakening misfortune of being deprived of water, then it would never have gained insight into its life-source. Thus, the mind must be designed to help the fish think in order to survive. If the fish did survive, it would be astutely aware of the existence of the reality of life depriving forces--this is the point where lack of faith demands life to employ the intrinsic mechanisms that insure its existence. When applied to humanity, this is equivilent to the human will. It is the human reaction to the awareness of our finite physical existence.
Thus, will is aroused by experiences which place limitations on free creative existence. It is this design of the human brain--these intrinsic characteristics that repeatedly stand out as cognitive architectures of mind and action--that were created by the source of eternal awareness, our Creator. The difference is that humans will imperfectly through language and technology. This is because we are finite beings. Let's hope that language and computer technology both were designed to create opportunities for "...young children to use their intuitive capacity to acquire many languages so that ultimately there may not be any obstacles to communication between people" (Chomsky, 1988: 154) so we may have a more peaceful and cooperative world.
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