Abstract
This study considers becoming aware of the voice as a new soft skill. Becoming aware that we are in the voice is a pathway to less tribalism and less partisanship inflamed by fake news. The voice is a concept based on Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics and the grammatical notion of the middle voice. Beyond the static and exclusive active/passive polarity, the voice nurtures a dynamic and inclusive way of thinking that avoids the pitfalls of either/or and opens itself to both-and-more. It promotes dialogue as a process we participate in and of. Rather than seeking to dominate the conversation in fear of the other and of change, in the voice we are open to the other and to change in the service of the ideas that come to language. The voice brings to the fore what it means to be human. Greek anthropeuomai (to be human) is middle-voiced. As humans we are not as free as the gods yet, unlike other animals, we are less confined to a particular niche. The expression, “The sky is the limit,” says it well. It tells us that there is no limit to what we can do precisely by setting a limit. That limit is what the voice conceptualizes.
Presenters
Philippe EberhardAdjunct Professor and Tutor, Languages and Cultures/Foreign Languages, William Paterson University and Nassau Community College, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2021 Special Focus: Critical Thinking, Soft Skills, and Technology
KEYWORDS
MIDDLE VOICE, HERMENEUTICS, UNDERSTANDING, DIALOGUE, HANS-GEORG GADAMER, SOFT SKILLS
