Induction in a modular learner

Abstract

This paper presents a theory of inductive learning (i-learning), a form of induction which is neither concept learning nor hypothesis-formation, but rather which takes place within the autonomous and modular representational systems (levels of representation) of the language faculty. The theory is called accordingly the Autonomous Induction Theory. Second language acquisition (SLA) is conceptualized in this theory as:• learning linguistic categories from universal and potentially innate featural primitives;• learning configurations of linguistic units; and• learning correspondences of configurations across the autonomous levels.Here I concentrate on the problem of constraining learning theories and argue that the Autonomous Induction Theory is constrained enough to be taken seriously as a plausible approach to explaining second language acquisition.