BRYAN PIEL AB-PHILO IV. SEM.

DARYLL LOUIS CAMARGO

PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE

Language: A help in our journey towards the truth

Why is there a language? What are the reasons of its existence? Why is man
has the ability to use language complexly? These are some of the philosophical
questions concerning language. My answer for these three questions is this: Language
exists, and man has the ability to use because it is a help for him in his journey towards
the truth. Why do we need truth? According to the encyclical Fides et Ratio, of Pope
John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II, “The thirst for truth is rooted in the human heart
that to be obliged to ignore it would cast our existence into jeopardy.” In the following
chapter, it is said, “Whether we admit it or not , there comes for everyone the moment
when personal existence must be anchored to a truth recognized as final, a truth which
confers a certitude no longer open to doubt.” Truth indeed is necessary for our
existence, and that's the reason why we long for it.
According to Roger Bacon, “ Knowledge of language is the doorway to wisdom.”
And wisdom is found only in the truth according to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. With
these ideas, we can conclude that, the knowledge of language is connected towards the
truth. In order to arrive at the truth we must have an idea on what language really is.
We must know its meaning, qualities, relation, and function. According to the book,
language is defined as a unity of multi-dimensional concepts that is made up of
accidental signs and is a system that provides communication. Next is the qualities:
conventionality, collectiveness and arbitrariness. Third is its relation. Philosophy of
language is closely connected to some other disciplines like logic, epistemology and
etc. Last is its function, it has four functions namely: manifestation of oneself, sign
interchange, description, and argumentation.

After knowing the knowledge and concept, the next question is this: Is our
knowledge and concept of language a truth-oriented? It's sad to know that our
generation subjectivize what is objective. Knowledge in language is merely subjective
and that there is no external or objective truth in it. As a result, our idea now on
language is distorted. In language's meaning, we deviate from it's standard meaning.
The distortion of its meaning is unrealized and accepted as normal. When the meaning
is distorted, so also will happen to its qualities and relation. The dreadful effect is on its
function. When distorted, language is used not as a tool for searching the truth but a
tool in concealing the truth. Language now is used as a tool for deception, fraud,
corruption, pleasure, exploitation in the field of education, politics, business and in the
church. We use now language as a tool for our self-centred motivations. This self-
centred motivation is rampant in our society today. The encyclical Evangelii Gaudium is
right when it said, The great danger in today's world, pervaded by as it is by
consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart,
the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience.

Language does not serve anymore its true purpose when it is not truth-oriented.
And when language is distorted and not truth-oriented, it will never become anymore a
help but a hindrance towards the truth. How can we remedy this illness of truth in the
language? There's no other way than asking for help to the one who loves wisdom and
truth; we need philosophy. Philosophy is an activity that people undertake when they
seek fundamental truths. Philosophy is a great help to gain back the true meaning,
qualities, relation and function of language. When philosophy is applied to language, our
concept and knowledge about it will be truth-oriented. Language can now be a help in
our journey towards the truth.