21st European Conference on Science and Theology

https://esssatconference.org/

Lost in Translation? Celebrating Language Diversity in Science and Religion

Many questions arise for the study of science and religion. For one, to what degree is our discipline a study of differing kinds of ‘language’ which might or might not be translatable backwards and forwards? More pointedly, the field of science and religion has long been dominated by English. In what ways does the use of English as the lingua franca of some areas of academic discourse pre-determine the kinds of questions and solutions that can be asked and offered? How does the science-religion discourse change when conducted in other languages? And how might we overcome these linguistic limitations in future conferences and publications, without isolating ourselves into linguistic silos? What are the benefits and limitations of linguistic metaphors for understanding interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration?

The topic of linguistic diversity is also timely for at least three further reasons. (1) The acceleration of artificial intelligence and the wide-spread use of Large Language Models promises to revolutionize how humans use language and experience linguistic diversity. (2) Ever increasing discoveries in animal communication and the increasing possibility of symbolic communication with other species offers a new frontier for linguistic diversity. (3) The rise of the ‘neurodiversity’ paradigm offers a new way to celebrate diversity within monolinguistic communities, as we discover the potential advantages of dyslexic, autistic, aphasic, and deaf communication. What can theological reflection offer to these societal changes and scientific discoveries? What can religious traditions learn?