Episode 5: Worlds in Words: Decolonizing Language and Thought

In this episode, we contend that language functions as an 'epistemological architecture,' shaping thought and reality rather than merely conveying pre-existing ideas. We trace how the global spread of Western languages, particularly English through colonial education in India, led to the imposition of a Western worldview characterised by materialism, secularism, and individualism, a process termed 'epistemicide'. We then offer a counter-narrative through the Islamic concept of Tawhid (Divine Unity), advocating for a holistic understanding of reality and knowledge that contrasts with Western reductionism. Ultimately, we argue for a principled epistemic pluralism, emphasising multilingualism as crucial for fostering intellectual diversity and challenging the hegemony of a singular worldview.