Subjects

Historical Contexts of Sign Languages

Ancient

Aristotle

384-322 B.C.: Greek philosopher, Aristotle, pronounced that Deaf people could not be educated without hearing ("it is impossible to reason without the ability to hear"). He says, "Those who are born deaf all become senseless and incapable of reason."

This kind of thinking is a part of logocentrism and phonocentrism discussed by French philosopher Derrida (on speaking and writing). Phonocentrism is largely responsible for the struggles between hearing people (speech-centered education, language as central to speech) and deaf people (natural language-centered) on education, human rights, and so on since then.