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Introduction

The Limitations of Language on Knowledge Man's comparatively adept ability to communicate as a means of obtaining knowledge is considered to be one of his defining characteristics, distinguishing him from any other species. Language is a communicative tool used to convey information, command, interrogate, entertain, and express ideas or emotions. Since all of these applications of language can result in the obtainment of knowledge it is evident that language serves as a major part of Man's ability to communicate. This leaves us with a syllogistic correlation between language and knowledge because language is our best means of communication, and communication is our best means of obtaining knowledge. ...read more.

Middle

Many European and American countries are in pronounced association, while many of the Asian and Middle Eastern countries share a similar closeness. Many of the European and American cultures use romantic dialects to convey knowledge, leaving them isolated from the Eastern world and vice versa. Man's natural tendency to investigate the history of his surroundings can be limited by language, especially in the area of anthropology. The study of past civilizations can be seriously complicated by the dissimilar means of communicating between societies of different time periods. Philologists and others studying the history of Man's means of communication play an important role in aiding anthropologists in discovery. ...read more.

Conclusion

The "Y2K Scare" is also a paradigm of this restraint on knowledge. Software designers and computer engineers had difficulty explaining the implications of the time changing on the operating systems of many major networks and databases. This trouble in expression lead to an agitation in anarchists and survivalists all around the country, which in turn increased the anxiety among many Americans. Language's limitations on knowledge are apparent in the communication of cultural, ancient, and specialized information. One's ability to successfully communicate with others is most contingent on their command of the social language that they are immersed in. Diverse, archaic, and highly differentiated social languages act as barriers in this communication. ...read more.

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