Philosopher's Zone Summer season: How philosophy fell in love with language
Dec 25, 2024
Crispin Sartwell, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Dickinson College and author of 'The Post-Linguistic Turn', dives into the fascinating evolution of philosophy's relationship with language. He discusses the linguistic turn of the 20th century and its profound impact on philosophical thought. Sartwell explores the shift initiated by thinkers like Wittgenstein and Richard Rorty, the decline of the linguistic focus, and how contemporary philosophy is embracing personal narratives. What does the future hold for philosophical inquiries that intertwine language and personal experience?
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Language's Role
- We lack direct access to reality outside of language.
- Language shapes our understanding of the world, possibly constructing it entirely.
Linguistic Turn's Motivation
- The linguistic turn aimed to address philosophy's perceived lack of progress.
- This was driven by a desire for clarity and a subject matter that could be clearly analyzed, similar to the sciences.
Language's Historical Role
- Philosophers debated whether language had always been central to philosophical questions or if the focus was new.
- One view was that philosophical questions stemmed from linguistic confusion and could be resolved through clarification.