Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
203 | N.J. Enfield on Why Language is Good for Lawyers and Not Scientists
Jul 11, 2022
N.J. Enfield, a linguistics professor at the University of Sydney and author of Language vs. Reality, delves into the intriguing relationship between language and thought. He discusses how language, rooted in social practices, can distort scientific communication. Enfield examines the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, revealing how language shapes perception and decision-making. Through examples like Schelling's map, he emphasizes the collaborative nature of communication and the cognitive biases influenced by linguistic choices, highlighting the complexities of expressing reality through words.
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Quick takeaways
- Language shapes perception; limitations lead to simplifications & omissions.
- Origin & evolution of language influenced by cognitive, biological, cultural factors.
Deep dives
Language and Perception: The Influence of Language on our Understanding
Language shapes the way we perceive and understand the world. While the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis may be exaggerated, there is truth to the idea that language affects our cognition. The existence of concepts in our vocabulary allows us to access the world in specific ways, while the limitations of language also lead to simplifications and omissions in our descriptions. For example, the limited number of color words in a language contrasts with the vast spectrum of colors we can perceive. Language is optimized for communication and social coordination, leading to trade-offs and biases in how we perceive and explain the world.
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