Universal Languages and Scientific Taxonomy in the Seventeenth CenturyIn the seventeenth century, a series of proposals and schemes for an artificial language intended to replace Latin as the international medium of communication gained currency. Fully developed, these schemes consisted of a classification of all known 'things' and a set of self-defining names designed to reflect the divisions of the classification. This attempt to create a specialized and scientific form of language was enthusiastically taken up by a number of eminent scientists of the day, including Bacon, Descartes, Newton and other members of the Royal Society. Dr Slaughter demonstrates that the idea of a universal language was a rational response to the inadequacy of seventeenth-century language, a result of social and cultural changes precipitated by the rise of science, the spread of print and literacy, and the subsequent development of a literate culture. A valuable addition to the study of history and literature, this book also has relevance for contemporary languages with similar problems of development. |
Contents
The Aristotelian origins | 15 |
Taxonomy | 38 |
Nomenclature | 99 |
Proposals and schemes for a universal language | 104 |
48 | 113 |
Proposals for a philosophical language | 126 |
43 | 135 |
Schemes for a philosophical language | 141 |
Other editions - View all
Universal Languages and Scientific Taxonomy in the Seventeenth Century M. M. Slaughter No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
abstract alphabet analysis animals Aristotelian Aristotle artificial language Aubrey MS 13 Bacon Baconian botanical Boyle Cambridge Cesalpino Champagnolles classification Comenius common complex corpuscular Dalgarno defined definitions Descartes difference discourse division elements England English Essay essential exist express folk taxonomy genera genus grammar Haak Hartlib Herbal herbs Hooke Ibid ideas John Locke John Ray John Wilkins kind Kinner knowledge language projectors language scheme Latin Leibniz letters lexicon linguistic Linnaeus Literacy Locke's Lodowyck logical London mathematical Mersenne method natural history nature of things Newton nomenclature observation Oxford particles Paschall philosophical language plantarum plants principles qualities radical real character relation root words Royal Society scientific seventeenth century signifies Concretum physicum signorum simple notions Sloane specialized species substance taxa taxonomic structure taxonomic tables taxonomy Theodore Haak Theophrastus theory tion trans universal character universal language universelle W. D. Ross Ward Wilkins writing