Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, political theorist, and activist, often referred to as "the father of modern linguistics." One of the most prominent philosophers and intellectuals of the contemporary era, he is also hailed as one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He has described his own politics variously as anarchist, anarchosyndicalist, and libertarian socialist, and has been an unapologetic critic of American foreign policy from the past several decades. The son of a Jewish scholar, he grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment and studied philosophy, logic, and languages at the University of Pennsylvania. It was here that he developed an intense interest in philosophy, under the tutelage of his teacher Nelson Goodman. After completing his studies he joined the faculty of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Initially he focused on teaching and writing and later became active as a political theorist as well. He became increasingly involved in left-wing activism and participated in anti-war protests which led to him being arrested on multiple occasions. Surprisingly though, his civil disobedience did not hamper his academic career in any way. Noam Chomsky rose to become an internationally recognized linguist and also mentored several students who became leading linguistic specialists in their own rights.