In a bold experiment linguist Terence Moore holds a series of conversations in 21st century language with the 17th century philosopher, John Locke. Initially the conversations focus on Locke’s radical insights into language and its pitfalls, particularly misunderstanding.
The result: a lively, original and engaging book:
Understanding Misunderstanding: Locke Holds the Key
The ideas – How do we understand each other? Why do we misunderstand each other? Questions highly pertinent to our use of language today.
Buried in Book III of Locke’s famous work An Essay Concerning Human Understanding is his most radical idea: Secret reference, the tacit communal conspiracy we all indulge in every day. A universal assumption that what we mean by words others do too. In fact things are not so simple. Locke argues that words do not contain meanings; words only spark meanings in the mind. And minds differ opening the way for misunderstanding.
Chomsky, Orwell, Morality, Happiness, Is Locke really an empiricist?
As well as exploring understanding and misunderstanding Moore and Locke’s ten conversations range widely. See Contents.