Lexicons constrain the range of possible belief

Paradigms are defined and shaped by their lexicon. The acquisition of the lexicon of a paradigm prevents belief in another paradigm, it prevents even the ability to think about it.

Its point is not that the acquisition of a particular [lexicon] bars belief in certain propositions ... Rather, the acquisition of a particular [lexicon] bars even the formulation, conceptual or verbal, of certain beliefs held by users of another [lexicon]. Different or differently structured [lexica] give access to different, though largely overlapping, ranges of possible belief.[1]

Thus, it stands to reason that inter-paradigmatic communication requires some degree of paradigmatic bilingualism which itself is only possible through the suspension or “pausing” of one lexicon in order to gain cognitive access to another lexicon and the paradigm that it makes accessible.

Users of one [lexicon] must be able to suspend or bracket it in order to gain access to some of the propositions that are candidates for belief to the users of the other [lexicon].[2]

#paradigms #cognition #linguistics

See also:

  1. The Last Writings of Thomas S. Kuhn – Kuhn (2022), § “Chapter 3: III.” Kuhn uses the phrase “kind set” in the original, which I have replaced with “lexicon” because I deem the terms sufficiently similar conceptually and easier to understand. ↩︎

  2. Ibid. ↩︎