Cratylus' Silence: On the Philosophy and Methodology of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory in SLA

Autor/in	Pallotti, Gabriele
Titel	Cratylus' Silence: On the Philosophy and Methodology of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory in SLA
Quelle	In: Second Language Research, 38 (2022) 3, S.689-701 (13 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Pallotti, Gabriele)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0267-6583
DOI	10.1177/0267658321992451
Schlagwörter	Systems Approach; Second Language Learning; Linguistic Theory; Epistemology; Philosophy; Generalization; Prediction; Language Research; Models + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Systemischer Ansatz; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Linguistische Theorie; Erkenntnistheorie; Philosophie; Vorhersage; Sprachforschung; Analogiemodell
Abstract	Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) has received considerable attention over the last decades, inspiring a number of second language acquisition studies. This article examines the research from a critical epistemological point of view, starting from the Greek philosopher Cratylus, who concluded that remaining silent is the only way to be entirely coherent with the idea that everything is complex and dynamic. An alternative to this drastic conclusion may consist in 'saying without saying too much', that is, setting some limits to theorizing and empirical inquiry. Problems of description, prediction and generalization in a CDST framework are discussed, pointing to some open issues to be addressed by future research. Finally, some proposals are made for a more constructive research program, which may even involve abandoning the 'CDST' label. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01