Powers and prospects : reflections on human nature and the social order

From the nature of democracy to our place in the natural world, from intellectual politics to the politics of language, Powers and Prospects provides a scathing critique of orthodox views and government policy, and outlines other paths that can lead to better understanding an more constructive action. The renowned linguist and political activist offers penetrating reflections on language, human nature, and foreign policy in this essay collection. From linguistics to the Middle East; foreign affairs to the role of the media; and intellectual responsibility to the situation in East Timor, Noam Chomsky offers a wide-ranging exploration of the issues and ideas that have concerned him most deeply throughout his distinguished career. These essays are drawn from a series of lectures Chomsky gave in Australia in 1995, under the auspices of the East Timor Relief Association. Examining the interplay between language, human nature and foreign policy, Powers and Prospects provides a scathing critique of government policy orthodoxy. Moving beyond criticism of the status quo, Chomsky then outlines other paths that can lead to better understanding and more constructive action. Eight essays, based on talks given during a week in Australia in 1995, bring together world-renowned linguist and outspoken critic of US foreign policy Chomsky's latest thinking. His topics encompass a wide scope from language and human nature, to the Middle East settlement, to the place of East Timor in the new world order "From the nature of democracy to our place in the natural world, from intellectual politics to the politics of language, Powers and Prospects provides a scathing critique of orthodox views and government policy, and outlines other paths that can lead to better understanding and more constructive action."--Amazon.com Annotation From the nature of democracy to our place in the natural world, from intellectual politics to the politics of language, Powers and Prospects provides a scathing critique of orthodox views and government policy, and outlines other paths that can lead to better understanding an more constructive action Content: Language and thought -- Language and nature -- Writers and intellectual responsibility -- Goals and visions -- Democracy and markets in the new world order -- The Middle East settlement -- The great powers and human rights -- East Timor and world order. An eclectic collection of Chomsky's writings on subjects ranging from East Timor and the Middle East to linguistics and social policy Chomsky lifts the veil of distortions that conceals the workings of history and social policy