Linguistics and Philosophy

The temptation of linguists to philosophize in such areas as the relationship of thought, language, and the world prompted Gilson to write Linguistics and Philosophy. In the introduction he does not claim to be a linguist, but rather a philosopher exercizing his option of selecting certain issues involving language that seem to be "philosophic constants." Decidedly philosophical in his approach, Gilson examines the way in which words, meanings, and languages grow continually and creatively, an inextricable part of life in society. He also explores our ability to construct abstract thoughts that point to an immaterial power of human beings, and he laments the degeneration of modern language brought about by radio and television broadcasters, especially in connection with neologistic and linguistic borrowing from other languages. We are currently observing the deterioration of language through the spoken word. In this fascinating work, Gilson demonstrates that the linguist cannot be indifferent to this occurrence.