Functional explanation in synergetic linguistics

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989592%3A15210%2F18%3A73585227" target="_blank" >RIV/61989592:15210/18:73585227 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Functional explanation in synergetic linguistics

Original language description

There were some small polemics in the history of quantitative linguistics concerned with the methodological and scientific theoretical backgrounds of this approach to linguistic phenomena (see Bunge, Meyer, Grzybek etc.). Few years ago, there was also yet smaller polemics about the status of the law in quantitative (see Benešová, Faltýnek, Zámečník 2015) or especially in synergetic linguistics (see Milička 2015, Zámečník 2014). Now we are trying again to ginger up this debate in one important aspect which is the nature of the functional explanation used in quantitative and mainly in synergetic linguistics. Synergetic linguistics (SL) represents probably the most sophisticated quantitative linguistic approach. It is a reality which we in any case do not intend to dispute. Our comments focus on the philosophic (in tradition of analytical philosophy of science) reflection on epistemological and methodological bases of SL. We will show that SL should put aside some of exaggerated claims which try to anchor SL as a theory, which disposes a D-N model of explanation (via Hempel 1965). These requirements are unrealistic because they imply the need for provision of deterministic laws of linguistics which enable the possibility of deductive inference from these laws toward empirical facts. First, we focus on elucidation of concepts of function and functional explanation as they have been explored in the context of analytic philosophy of science since the 50s until today. To fulfill this step, there is a longstanding demand among quantitative linguists because most philosophic assumptions of QL are enshrined only in the (undeniably influential) philosophical work by Mario Bunge. Subsequently, we will show which problems there are that current SL suffers in connection with the concept of functional explanations from. And finally, we will try to outline the nature of the functional explanation of SL devoid of the synergetic principle.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

C - Chapter in a specialist book

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60203 - Linguistics

Project

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Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2018

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Book/collection name

Structure, Function and Process in Texts

ISBN

978-3-942303-56-9

Number of pages of the result

10

Pages from-to

15-24

Number of pages of the book

144

Publisher name

RAM-Verlag

Place of publication

Lüdenscheid

UT code for WoS chapter

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