Damien Williams, an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Data Science at UNC, shares insights on the complexities of language and communication. He discusses how our personalized realities create barriers to mutual understanding, even on shared facts like science. The conversation dives into the impact of technology and misinformation on discourse, exploring how rhetoric shapes perceptions in politics. Damien emphasizes the need for tough, honest dialogues to bridge divides and build solidarity in our increasingly polarized society.
44:31
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Communication Requires Mutual Understanding
Communication is a two-way process requiring mutual understanding between speaker and listener.
Without proper interpretation, communication becomes mere noise, not effective exchange of ideas.
insights INSIGHT
Language Shapes Realities
Language shapes our understanding of reality and possibilities.
Weaponized language manipulates perception, creating distorted realities and undermining consensus.
insights INSIGHT
Different Realities Divide Us
Different realities arise from varying meanings of the same words within social groups.
This disconnect causes people to talk past each other, deepening isolation and misunderstanding.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Elaine Scarry's 'The Body in Pain' explores the relationship between physical pain, language, and political power. It argues that pain is a state of being that resists verbal expression, making it difficult for individuals to convey their suffering to others. This inarticulacy, according to Scarry, can be exploited by those in power to deny or ignore the pain of marginalized groups. The book examines how the infliction of pain can lead to the dismantling of a person's sense of self and their ability to participate in social and political life. Scarry also investigates how certain political and social structures rely on the suppression of bodily experiences to maintain control. The book is a profound exploration of the ways in which pain shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
There’s more information than ever — but we can’t agree on what it means.
We think of language as a tool of communication. But it’s so much more than that. Language builds worlds and shapes realities; language is how we make sense of what we experience, and that sense-making is always done in partnership with each other. Language is the mechanism by which we develop shared understandings of reality. So why can’t we seem to find common ground with each other?
Damien Williams is an assistant professor of philosophy and data science, and he joins me to tackle that question, explaining we live in a world of “bespoke realities” whereby people’s lived experiences are seemingly so different they cannot even come to a mutual understanding of the parts that are objective — like science. He explains why other people’s realities feel threatening, and offers key insight as to how we can build bridges with those who disagree with us.
Damien and I only began to scratch the surface of this complex and critical topic. If you’d like to see this conversation continued as a roundtable with more interlocutors, please leave a comment below!
Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today.
Planet: Critical 