Artificial languages across sciences and civilizations
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: Artificial languages across sciences and civilizations
zbMATH Open document ID: 1377.01042
author: Frits Staal
published in: Journal of Indian Philosophy
publication date: 2017-02-17T00:00:00Z
review text: This loose collection of thoughts about ``artificial languages'' (ALs), the development of science, and Greek, Chinese, Arab and Indian civilizations in the \textit{longue durée} comes to the trivial, but big general conclusion that ``artificial languages exist across sciences and civilizations. It happened independently in different parts of the world.'' ALs then, according to the author, were the decisive moment that led directly to modern science: ``They appeared in various civilizations and led to scientific, that is, highly confirmed knowledge. The latest result to date is modern science.'' (p. 135) Drawing on writings by Needham, Lloyd, Pingree, and extensively on his own, the author identifies grammar with artificial languages. Yet, he seems to ignore that China never had a grammar until the 19th century when scholars invented one based on a Latin model.
reviewed by: Andrea Bréard
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 01A99
zbMATH DE Number: 6686911
zbMATH Keywords: artificial languages
zbMATH Keywords: modern science
Wikidata QID: Q59650140
MaRDI profile type: Publication
full work available at URL: s10781-005-8189-0
OpenAlex ID: W1989970913
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cites work: Q3852135
cites work: The unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences. Richard courant lecture in mathematical sciences delivered at New York University, May 11, 1959
DOI: 10.1007/S10781-005-8189-0
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 6686911