Knowledge & Language

• Can all knowledge be expressed in words or symbols? 

• Is it possible to think or know without language? 

• Is being able to speak a language an example of “knowing how” to do  something? 

• What role does language play in allowing knowledge to be shared with future  generations? 

• Are there differences in how knowledge itself is conceived of, or presented, in  different languages? 

• Is it the case that if we cannot express something, we don’t know it?

• To what extent does language allow us to make our private experiences public? 

• How does language allow humans to pool resources and share knowledge?

•  Does the transmission of knowledge from one person or generation to another  depend on language? 

• What knowledge might be lost if the whole world shared one common  language? 

• If a language dies, does knowledge die with it? 

• How do our values and assumptions influence the language in which we  express our ideas? 

• Is ambiguity a shortcoming of language that must be eliminated, or can it also  be seen as making a positive contribution to knowledge and knowing? 

• Do all people share some innate linguistic knowledge? If the categories that we use necessarily empower or marginalise, is it ever possible to produce knowledge that does not either reflect or challenge existing power structures?

• How are metaphors used in the construction of knowledge?                                                                                                    

• If language works according to sets of rules and conventions, how much scope  do we have as individuals to break the rules or challenge these conventions?            

• In what ways do values affect our representations of the world, for example, in  language, maps or visual images? 

• To what extent do the classification systems we use in the pursuit of knowledge  affect the conclusions that we reach? 

• In what ways can language be used to influence, persuade or manipulate  people’s emotions? 

• To what extent do the names and labels that we use help or hinder the  acquisition of knowledge?

• Does ethical language differ in any significant way from other types of  language? 

• How can we know if language is intended to deceive or manipulate us? 

• Do ethical statements simply convey our feelings/emotions rather than making  claims? 

• If ethical terms and concepts cannot be easily defined, does this mean that they  are meaningless? 

• Can we define words such as good and bad in terms of objective features of the  world? 

• Do professional interpreters and translators have any special ethical  obligations?