1st Edition
Linguistics, Anthropology and Philosophy in the French Enlightenment A contribution to the history of the relationship between language theory and ideology
Linguistics, Anthropology and Philosophy in the French Enlightenment treats the development of linguistic thought from Descartes to Degerando as both a part of and a determining factor in the emergence of modern consciousness. Through his careful analyses of works by the most influential thinkers of the time, Ulrich Ricken demonstrates that the central significance of language in the philosophy of the enlightenment, reflected and acted upon contemporary understandings of humanity as a whole. The author discusses contemporary developments in England, Germany and Italy and covers an unusually broad range of writers and ideas including Leibniz, Wolff, Herder and Humboldt. This study places history of language philosophy within the broader context of the history of ideas, aesthetics and historical anthropology and will be of interest to scholars working in these disciplines.
Biography
Ulrich Ricken founded and directed and is now Emeritus Professor of the International Centre for Research on the European Enlightenment at the University of Halle, Germany. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the history of ideas, the history of language, and the history of linguistic theories in their philosophical context.
