Sue Savage-Rumbaugh: Difference between revisions
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'''Sue Savage-Rumbaugh''' is a [[primatology|primatologist]] at the [[Great Ape Trust]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], who is well-known for her work investigating the apparent use of | '''Sue Savage-Rumbaugh''' is a [[primatology|primatologist]] at the [[Great Ape Trust]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], who is well-known for her work investigating the apparent use of '[[language]]' in two [[bonobo]]s, the [[species]] representing the closest living relative to [[human]]s. Her most famous subject is a bonobo named [[Kanzi]], who can [[communication|communicate]] linguistically using [[symbol]]s on a [[keyboard]]. | ||
Savage-Rumbaugh's view of [[language]] - that it is not confined to [[humans]] and is [[learning|learnable]] by other [[ape]] [[species]] - is | Savage-Rumbaugh's view of [[language]] - that it is not confined to [[humans]] and is [[learning|learnable]] by other [[ape]] [[species]] - is controversial within [[linguistics]], [[psychology]] and other sciences of the [[brain]] and [[mind]], the controversy resting mainly on different definitions of ''language'' and different understandings of [[evolution]]ary processes. For example, the [[cognitive science|cognitive scientist]] [[Steven Pinker]] strongly criticised the position of Savage-Rumbaugh and others in his award-winning ''[[The Language Instinct]]'', arguing that Kanzi and other non-human [[primates]] failed to grasp the fundamentals of language. | ||
Revision as of 20:45, 14 September 2009
Sue Savage-Rumbaugh is a primatologist at the Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Iowa, who is well-known for her work investigating the apparent use of 'language' in two bonobos, the species representing the closest living relative to humans. Her most famous subject is a bonobo named Kanzi, who can communicate linguistically using symbols on a keyboard.
Savage-Rumbaugh's view of language - that it is not confined to humans and is learnable by other ape species - is controversial within linguistics, psychology and other sciences of the brain and mind, the controversy resting mainly on different definitions of language and different understandings of evolutionary processes. For example, the cognitive scientist Steven Pinker strongly criticised the position of Savage-Rumbaugh and others in his award-winning The Language Instinct, arguing that Kanzi and other non-human primates failed to grasp the fundamentals of language.