Back to the full dot-point answer
SingaporeKnowledge & InquiryQuick questions
The Nature of Knowledge
Quick questions on Language and the construction of knowledge explained: H2 Knowledge and Inquiry
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is language as the medium of knowledge?Show answer
Knowledge claims are made in sentences, theories are written in technical vocabularies, and testimony passes knowledge from speaker to hearer through words. Because language is so pervasive, two opposing temptations arise: to treat it as a transparent window on a world we know independently, or to treat it as a lens that constructs the world we take ourselves to know. The truth lies between these, and the dot point is about locating it.
What is linguistic relativity?Show answer
The linguistic relativity hypothesis, associated with Sapir and Whorf, claims that the structure of a language influences the thought of its speakers. It comes in two strengths. The strong form, linguistic determinism, says language determines thought, so distinctions a language lacks are literally unthinkable for its speakers. The weak form says language influences habitual thought and attention without setting strict limits on what can be conceived.
What is q1?Show answer
Distinguish the strong and weak forms of the linguistic relativity hypothesis. [6 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Give two reasons for rejecting linguistic determinism. [8 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain why the conventionality of words does not make the facts they describe conventional. [6 marks]
Have a question we have not covered?
This dot-point answer is short enough that we have not extracted many short questions yet. Read the full dot-point answer or ask Mo, our study assistant, in the chat for follow ups.