GoKawiilHans Freudenthal's Lincos traced back to 17th-century philosophical languages
A two-part historical essay examines the intellectual roots of Hans Freudenthal's Lingua Cosmica, a language designed for communicating with extraterrestrial intelligence. The first installment traces its lineage back to 17th-century English efforts to build a universal 'philosophical language,' motivated by the practical chaos of European trade, diplomacy and colonial missionary work, and continuing through the rise of mathematical logic in the 20th century.