Hocus Pocus: "Knowledge" vs. the Dialectic of Enlightenment

Discusses how differences in the structure and use of the German language and English language affect the way of thinking and theoretical construction in the two languages. English is characterised by great diversity in words, leading to enjoyment of wordplay and neologisms, but has a relatively inflexible grammar. German has a more flexible grammatical structure which allows parts of sentences to be moved, but words are constantly re-evaluated. Notes the dissent between English language and European philosophy schools and its implications for 'knowledge', design theory and research and suggests there is need of a radical critique of the category 'knowledge'. States that linear logic should be replaced with associative logic to take forward successful design research. Part of a special issue on design research in Germany.