> I think what Chomsky is saying is that if we do not understand the generative principle behind any data, we cannot possibly know what circumstance might completely invalidate our model. There may not be a way to smooth this out.
No, what Chomsky is saying is that if you don't know the generative principle behind the data, then you don't know the generative principle behind the data. You don't understand a system just because you can faithfully predict it.
No, what Chomsky is saying is that if you don't know the generative principle behind the data, then you don't know the generative principle behind the data. You don't understand a system just because you can faithfully predict it.