Philosophising in Tongues: Philosophy, Politics and Language module (PI31027)

From the battlefields of linguistic nationalism to the seismic shifts caused by global English-language dominance, this module plunges into the heart of linguistic dilemmas in the 21st century.

You will examine why language matters beyond traditional philosophy of language while cultivating your critical thinking skills and reflecting on your own relationship to language.

We begin by examining Barbara Cassin’s The Dictionary of Untranslatables: A Philosophical Lexicon and some of the most important French and German language philosophers who discuss language.

You will then consider philosophers who criticise the so-called 'linguistic turn' that placed such importance on language in contemporary philosophy.

The topics you will learn about include: the relationship between poetry and philosophy, and whether it is possible to reverse the traditional opposition between these two forms of expression; language use and people's feelings towards it; reactions to the globalisation of the English language; and responses to the increasing use of large language models (such as ChatGPT).

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• gain a detailed understanding of debates that occur in philosophy of translation, applied philosophy of language, and linguistic political philosophy
• examine urgent issues such as linguistic nationalism, global English, and the impact of technology on language
• recognise the importance of language in philosophy beyond philosophy of language
• learn why certain philosophers distinguish or even oppose poetry and philosophy, and why certain other philosophers explore the literary conditions of philosophical discourse
• explore the concept of linguistic justice and the rise of probabilistic models in natural language processing, such as ChatGPT

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• analyse complex debates in philosophy of translation, applied philosophy of language, and linguistic political philosophy
• evaluate the implications of linguistic nationalism, global English, and so-called large language models such as ChatGPT
• recognise the significance of language in various philosophical contexts
• engage in critical assessment of philosophical views and articulate your own perspectives
• demonstrate proficiency in writing a well-researched paper that integrates insights from philosophy of language, translation studies, and political philosophy

Assignments / assessment

• essay 3,500 words (65%)
• textual commentary exercise OR comparative translation exercise 1,500 words (35%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

You will learn by taking a hands-on approach. This will involve taking part and speaking in tutorials, and doing some practical activities in tutorials, such as discussing various translations of the Tower of Babel story in Genesis.