Language is things we do

In this blog, I wish to raise some questions in the philosophy of language. I have long been planning to write a book on the subject but found it hard to get going. My friend Pär Segerdahl, who edits an ethics blog, suggested to me that I start a blog on the topic instead. So here I go.

There are, to begin with, two types of questions that concern me in particular, what might be called the question of the powerlessness of language - the idea that there are things language will not allow us to say - and the question of the power of language - the idea that language has power over our thinking, that we are the captives of language. In a sense, these are opposite ideas. The problem that concerns me is that both ideas seem hard to square with the notion that language is our doing, neither more nor less.

We'll see how it goes. I do hope for questions, suggestions and objections from my readers.