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Writing Syntactic Structures, 1957
Noam Chomsky wrote Syntactic Structures based on his lecture notes to his students, and published it in 1957 before he was a well-known scholar. It develops the theory of transformational generative grammar and argues for a distinction between syntax and semantics in linguistic study. The famous sentence "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously," is from this book, and shows that grammatically correct sentences can be meaningless. Chomsky, Noam. Syntactic Structures. Mouton, 1957. -
Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, 1965
"Aspects of the Theory of Syntax" was published in 1965, and earned Chomsky his place in history as a founder of cognitive science. His model of linguistics has been adapted by other sciences such as immunology, and he redirected the entire study of linguistics from a behaviorist-leaning approach to a more rational one. Chomsky, N. Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. The M.I.T. Press, 1965. -
The Responsibility of Intellectuals, 1967
"The Responsibility of Intellectuals" was a strongly-worded essay in which Noam Chomsky argued against the Vietnam War in 1967. He slammed scientific elites who were benefiting from the military-industrial-complex and using science to make an unjust war appear justified. This essay thrust him into the national spotlight as a strong anti-war voice from the intellectual community. Chomsky, Noam (1967-02-23). "The Responsibility of Intellectuals". The New York Review of Books. -
Manufacturing Consent, 1988
Noam Chomsky, along with Edward S. Herman, published the terrifying book "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" in 1988. It details a theory on how the mass media is used, in conjunction with market forces and government, as an enormous propaganda machine. It also details indicators of media bias. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT9VK55Gbmw Herman, Edward S., and Noam Chomsky. Manufacturing Consent: the Political Economy of the Mass Media. Vintage Digital, 2010.
