Future Philology? The Fate of a Soft Science in a Hard World

• Published in: Critical inquiry 2009-07, Vol.35 (4), p.931-961
• Main Author: Pollock, Sheldon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Area Studies; Bible; Cultural history; Eighteenth Century; Foucault, Michel; Future; Historicism; Historicity; History instruction; Humanism; Indian literature; Linguistics; Literary criticism; Philology; Pluralism; Science education; Twentieth Century; Twenty First Century; Universities
• ISSN: 0093-1896; 1539-7858
• DOI: 10.1086/599594

The article describes the decline of philology from the mid-nineteenth century to the twentieth century and details how the discipline can be revived. NBAccording to Michel Foucault, modern critical philology began in the West in the late eighteenth century. NBHowever, modern philology's origins are arguably deeper: Baruch Spinoza's textual study of the Hebrew and Greek languages did much to desacralize the Bible. NBThe discipline grew throughout all major European universities over the course of the nineteenth century. NBThe author also traces the development of Sanskrit and Persian philology in early modern India, which he considers to have begun to plateau by the end of the eighteenth century and which was already in a state of decline by the twentieth century. NBBy contrast, traditional philology has continued to flourish in modern China. NBThe author describes the separate declines of different kinds of philology within the United States. NBOriental philology gradually was transformed into a part of area studies after World War II. NBThe author argues that if philology is to be revived as a discipline for the twenty-first century academy, it will need to possess historical self-awareness, universality and methodological and conceptual pluralism. Adapted from the source document.