tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739403784714088758.post8698174724824402789..comments2019-09-23T01:03:11.875-07:00Comments on The Philosopher: Linguistic Culturism (2018)docmartincohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07116346310852077070noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739403784714088758.post-56347249139395901052018-03-01T13:51:24.664-08:002018-03-01T13:51:24.664-08:00“Benjamin Lee Whorf emphasised the importance of c...“Benjamin Lee Whorf emphasised the importance of common linguistic backgrounds to truly understand one another: ‘we are thus introduced to a new principle of relativity, which holds that all observers are not led by the same physical evidence to the same picture of the universe, unless their linguistic backgrounds are similar, or can in some way be calibrated.’ ” Hence, from stage left, enters the language of mathematics. One might argue that the vocabulary, syntax, and other core features of mathematics provide the universalistic perspective—“the same picture,” per Whorf—imbuing scientists with cross-culturally shared investigation into, understanding of, and communication about the universe. Mathematics provides, one might say, the very “common linguistic background” you refer to—without our having to clear the dust off such over-worn expressions as the “elegance” or “unreasonable effectiveness” of mathematics. To that extent, perhaps Whorf’s sense of a “new principle of relativity”—while applicable to many culturally sensitive/subjective endeavors like the social sciences, where for example human and societal behaviors pertain—does not really describe the world of physics and related subject areas. In the context of the essay—“linguistic culturism”—I wonder, then, if mathematics as a language is an exception. Thank you, Lina, for an intriguing read.<br />Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05120485893579137602noreply@blogger.com