Abstract

The translation of a language into another presupposes that the translator understands the foreign expressions s/he is hearing or reading, assigning the correct meanings given the context at hand. Therefore, if mutual understanding could never be accomplished, we would get hopelessly lost in translation. Granted, we do seem to be able to translate each other fairly well, given that the verbal, economical, political exchanges occurring every day on an intercontinental level appear to reach their relevant aims. This is an important fact, which – as we will see below – may have important philosophical consequences. However, what could assure us of the fact that this is not just a fluke? How can we be certain that truly effective intercourse between cultures is not a mere illusion? Are we not unconsciously caught in a sort of cosmic deception – something like the nightmare the skeptic tells us we are trapped in? Let us pause for a moment to see how this might come about.

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