"So long as we use a certain language, all questions that we can ask will have to be formulated in it and will thereby confirm the theory of the universe which is implied in the vocabulary and structure of the language"
- Michael Polanyi
About this Quote
This quote by Michael Polanyi recommends that language is a powerful tool in forming our understanding of the world. He argues that the language we use to ask questions will determine the responses we receive, and hence the theory of the universe we pertain to accept. To put it simply, the language we utilize to interact will influence our understanding of reality. This is because the vocabulary and structure of a language will include specific presumptions and biases that will shape our understanding of the world. For instance, the language we use to discuss gender functions will affect our understanding of gender functions in society. For that reason, it is essential to be aware of the language we use and the implications it has on our understanding of the world.
"If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send one hundred and fifty lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, and talk by the hour?"
"We worked very hard to make the lyrics suit the music. I can't, like Elton John, for example, compose by lyrics. Elton has a great talent for that. Whatever you give him, including your questions, he composes in half an hour and makes a great song out of it"
