Abstract

This essay responds to D.C. Schindler’s “Language as Technē vs. Language as Technology,” which argues that, for Plato, language is a craft that has for its subject matter being itself. While Schindler’s thesis is consistent with what we know as the Platonic philosophical project, it raises several questions. First, does being, as the subject matter of language, constitute a determinate subject matter, such as is required by all crafts? Second, does the ordinary language user meet the epistemic bar of a true craftsman, who possesses a rigorous knowledge of his or her subject matter? And third, in as much as Plato himself expresses doubt about our ability to master reality through language, is it feasible to see linguistic competence as a form of technical mastery?