Inconsistency and the dilemma of intuitionistic research in generative syntax

Kertész, András (2012) Inconsistency and the dilemma of intuitionistic research in generative syntax. Sprachtheorie und germanistische Linguistik, 22 (2). pp. 157-175. ISSN 1218-5736

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Abstract

The paper is a contribution to the current debate on linguistic data and evidence. It raises two questions: (a) What kinds of inconsistency do emerge in generative syntax? (b) How are these kinds of inconsistency to be evaluated with respect to the workability of the syntactic theory at issue? As a first step, a system of paraconsistent logic is introduced which distinguishes between weak and strong inconsistency. While weak inconsistency is harmless, strong inconsistency is destructive. Second, a case study demonstrates that in generative syntax weak inconsistency may be a useful tool of problem solving. Third, two further case studies show that intuition as a data source triggers the emergence of strong inconsistency in generative syntax. Finally, this results in a methodological dilemma with far-reaching consequences.

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