A Study of the Current Minimalist Program-From the Viewpoint of Evolution and Complexity

1.语言起源现象是指在人类进化的某一阶段，从“非语言”状态向“语言”状态的过渡/飞跃。因此，“质量”发生了变化。因此，保持语言连续性的自然选择/顺应论应该被摒弃为语言起源的进化论。斯潘德尔理论只是断言语言似乎是某些特征的副产品，这是一种最后的手段。这将阻碍研究的进一步进行。2.考虑到语言起源的真正质量变化，所谓的建设性/自组织方法能否有助于解决这一问题是值得怀疑的，因为关于动因的初始条件不能包括语言的东西。3.从方法论的角度来看，新达尔文主义和所谓的点点平衡都不是…更不可证伪，因为它们包含了一些存在主义的陈述。此外，研究人类语言的起源本质上是不可否认的，因为它是对只发生在历史特定阶段的一次事件的调查。相比之下，生成理论得到了发展，采用了(复杂的)方法论证伪主义。建议生成语言学家暂时搁置证伪主义，采用类似拉卡托斯的研究纲领的方法论。4.从生成的角度研究语言的起源和演化应采用/承认的一些基本假设/观点是：(1)考察普遍语法的核心成分；(2)最终目的是“当前”人类语言的起源和演变；(3)在语言起源的研究中采用零假设；(4)研究普遍语法的个别性质/原则的起源和演变。也就是说，我们不把语言作为一个整体/包来考虑。(5)不允许“任意性”的概念。5.在一个简单/优雅的极简主义理论中，我们不仅应该研究合并的起源和演变，而且应该研究探测-目标关系、谓词和修饰的起源和演变。较少

1.The phenomenon of the origin of language is regarded as the transition/leap from the state of "non-language" to that of "language" at a certain stage of the evolution of humans. Thus there was a change in "quality." Hence the theory of natural selection/adaptation, which maintains the continuity, should be rejected as the evolutionary theory of the origin of language. The theory of spandrels, which simply asserts that language appeared as a by-product of some traits, is a kind of last resort. It will hinder research from proceeding further. Consequently, at this stage of inquiry, the theory of preadaptaion is most plausible.2.Considering a true quality change in language origin, it is doubtful whether the so-called constructive/self-organization approach can contribute to the solution of this problem, because the initial conditions on the agents cannot include "linguistic" things.3.From a methodological point of view, both neo-Darwinism and the so-called punctuated equilibrium are no … More t falsifiable, since they include some existential statements. Furthermore, the study of the origin of human language is inherently unfalsifiable, since it is the investigation of an event which only once took place at a specific stage in history. By contrast, generative theory has developed, adopting (sophisticated) methodological falsificationism. It is suggested that generative linguists should put aside falsificationism for the time being and adopt something like the methodology of Lakatos's research program.4.Some basic assumptions/viewpoints which should be adopted/recognized in the study of the origin and evolution of language from a generative perspective are :(1)Investigating the core components of UG(2)The ultimate goal is the origin and evolution of "current" human language.(3)Adopting the null hypothesis in research into the origin of language(4)Studying the origin and evolution of individual properties/principles of UG. That is, we do not consider language as a whole/package.(5)Disallowing the notion of "arbitrariness"5.Within a simple/elegant minimalist theory, we should investigate not only the origin and evolution of Merge but also that of probe-goal relations, predication, and modification. Less