Since 1957, the primary goal of theoretical linguistics has been to discover the details of Universal Grammar, the principles which underly all human languages as a reflection of our innate language faculty. More recent work in linguistics has explored alternate sources of explanation for cross-linguistic generalizations, appealing to usage patterns, diachronic factors, and even random chance. In this approach, the current state of any language is a snapshot in an on-going gradual development over many generations, and constraints on the way in which languages evolve are one possible source of similarities across languages. Unfortunately, the time depth of linguistic change makes it impossible to directly test hypotheses regarding evolutionary explanations. Linguistics is, of course, not alone in facing this challenge. In many fields, practical and ethical constraints make it impossible to test theoretical claims via controlled laboratory experiments. As in fields like biology, economics, and chemistry, predictions about the dynamics of language evolution can be tested via computer simulation. In this seminar, we will review the literature on simulation, both in linguistics and in related fields, and explore how this view of language as a complex dynamic system relates to current developments in linguistic theory. Topics which may covered include: agent-based and evolutionary simulation, exemplar-based models, the origins of language, Monte Carlo methods in statistics, and language as a complex adaptive system. The final content of the course will depend on the interests of the participants.