Mixing Metaphors: Skinner, Chomsky, and the analysis of Verbal Events

Abstract

Moerk’s analysis of the similarities between Skinner’s and Chomsky’s position fails to deal adequately with the major philosophical differences between cognitive and behavior analytic accounts. In so doing, the degree of overlap is greatly exaggerated. In addition, Moerk’s formulation of language as an acquired skill, while congenial to a behavioral approach, fails to grapple with the nature of verbal phenomena.