Book Review: Problems of Knowledge and Freedom

Title
Problems of knowledge and freedom
Author
Noam Chomsky
Date
Two Lectures originally presented at Trinity College (Cambridge) in 1971

Reason
I previously read Chomsky’s “Profit over People” and greatly enjoyed his writing style as well as his insights and conclusions precisely pointed at not just interpreting our society, but also how we may improve it. While searching for additional Chomsky books to read I came across “Problems of knowledge and freedom” which offered a glimpse of Chomsky at the precipice of public admiration (or disagreement; 1971). The book couples Chomsky’s life (linguistics and politics) succinctly into two chapters (lectures) and reveals someone whom Chomsky revered (Bertrand Russell).


Synopsis
The book is two chapters; On interpreting the world and On changing the world. The first chapter summarizes Chomsky’s thesis on the acquisition and transfer of knowledge among humans (Linguistics, naturally). Briefly, a system of knowledge results from the interplay of innate mechanisms, genetically determined maturational processes, and the interaction with the social and physical environment (Chomsky’s Thesis). Herein lay the precepts from which the rest of the chapter evolves from; including our mental faculties being limited by our linguistic fecundity, neuroplasticity (use it or lose it), original thought being preempted by prior knowledge bases, and the necessity of a fully developed limbic system to give “scope and limits” to knowledge acquisition.

In the second chapter a relatively young Chomsky (41) recognizes the late work of his predecessor (Russell) and treks a similar path critically analyzing Western cultural and specifically the United States. This chapter builds nicely describing Chomsky’s phrase “consent without consent” highlighting the use of propaganda to galvanize a people into backing the concentration of power to ensure the status quo (a firm belief in the “benevolent” autocracies will be accompanied by one’s ability to accomplish the American Dream) and the chapter ends with many examples demonstrating the use and power of state propaganda (contextual; 1970s therefore Vietnam particularly). On of the more enjoyable sections in a chapter revealing subversion at the highest levels is a mental exercise Chomsky asks his readers to try reciting current United States handlings of war and inserting USSR for U.S. For an unfamiliar reader this could be a paradigm shifter.

Review
Why you should read this book. This is a Wikipedia page on Chomsky’s work. By this I mean it is brief but succinct with many references and best of all the author is Chomsky himself. I would recommend this book as a starter for those interested in Chomsky as his other readings will likely reiterate his statements here. The only criticism I might offer is Chomsky appears to be unaware of his critics or those holding opposing views with merit. This is a criticism of this particular book and not of Chomsky in general.


Quotes
“The major point that I want to show, by this brief and informal discussion, is that there apparently are deep-seated and rather abstract principles of a very general nature that determine the form and interpretation of sentences and such principles are language universals; it is plausible to attribute the proposed language invariants to the innate language faculty which is, in turn, one component of the structure of mind.”

“The systems of knowledge that underlie normal human behavior simply cannot be described in terms of networks of association, fabrics of dispositions to respond, habit structures, and the like.”

From Russell:
“There can be no real freedom or democracy until the men who do the work in a business also control its management…and the real obstacles lie in the heart of man, and the cure for these is a firm hope, informed and fortified in thought.”