Language, Philosophy of
Language, Philosophy of
Any philosophical investigation arising from study of concrete, actualized, languages, whether “living” or “dead”. By “language” is here to be understood a system of signs (whether words or ideograms) used in regular modes of combination, in accordance with conventionally established rules, for the purpose of communication.
Philosophers have in the past been concerned with two questions covered by our definition, though attempts to organize the subject as an autonomous department of philosophy are of recent date.
Enquiries into the origin of language (e.g. in Plato’s Kratylos) once a favorite subject for speculation, are now out of fashion, both with philosophers and linguists.
Enquiries as to the nature of language (as in Descartes, Leibniz, and many others) are, however, still central to all philosophical interest in language. Such questions as “What are the most general characters of symbolism?”, “How is ‘Language’ to be defined?”, “What is the essence of language?”, “How is communication possible?”, “What would be the nature of a perfect language?”, are indicative of the varying modulations which this theme receives in the works of contemporaries.
Current studies in the philosophy of language can be classified under five hends
Questions of method, relation to other disciplines, etc. Much discussion turns here upon the proposal to establish a science and art of symbolism, variously styled semiotic, semantics or logical syntax,
The analysis of meaning. Problems arising here involve attention to those under the next heading.
The formulation of general descriptive schemata. Topics of importance here include the identification and analysis of different ways in which language is used, and the definition of men crucial notions as “symbol”, “grammar”, “form”, “convention”, “metaphor”, etc.
The study of fully formalized language systems or “calculi”. An increasingly important and highly technical division which seeks to extend and adapt to all languages the methods first developed in “metamathematics” for the study of mathematical symbolism.
Applications to problems in general philosophy. Notably the attempt made to show that necessary propositions are really verbal; or again, the study of the nature of the religious symbol. Advance here awaits more generally acceptable doctrine in the other divisions.
References
K. Bhler,
Sprachtheorie.
R. Car-nap,
Logical Syntax of Language.
E. Cassi’rer,
Philosophie der symbolischen Formen.
A. H. Gardiner,
The Theory of Speech and Language.
C. W. Morris,
Foundations of the Theory of Signs.
C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards,
The Meaning of Meaning.
C. S. Peirce,
Collected Papers.
See also Communication, Meaning, Referent, Semiotic, Sign, Symbol, Functions of Language, Scientific Empiricism.- — M.B.