Abstract
Risky politically manipulative speech has unexpectedly been on the rise. This paper utilises the phenomenon of plausible deniability to provide an explanation for why linguistic devices such as dogwhistles, racial figleaves, and generic stereotypes have recently emerged as favoured tools for political manipulation. First, it hypothesises that they share the phenomenon of plausible deniability, which, by offering cover for their overtness, mitigates (some) risks of such political speech. Second, it argues that the plausible deniability of these linguistic devices makes them powerful tools for politically manipulative speech as it helps it to spread more efficiently and appear more acceptable. Finally, it elevates the ethical and political dimensions of language to a more central position within the philosophy of language by discussing two normative claims stemming from conceptual engineering: (i) we should combat such pernicious political manipulation, and (ii) we should exploit the effects of plausible deniability for beneficial purposes.
How to attend
This is a read-ahead seminar. The meetings have a hybrid format. We meet in person in GM 667 and digitally on Zoom (Zoom login required).
The meeting link, along with a copy of the paper to be discussed, will be made available in advance via the mailing list.