Ryle and Marx on Absurdities

Author(s): Juraj Halas / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2012

The aim of this paper is to show that Karl Marx’s critique of political economy can be interpreted as a critique of what philosophers have termed “category-mistakes”. Therefore, I first turn to the origins of this term in Gilbert Ryle’s “Categories”, to further developments in “Philosophical Arguments” and in P. F. Strawson, as well as to W. H. Walsh’s approach to categories, to establish a workable meaning of the term “category-mistake”. In the second part, I briefly discuss some of the previous uses of this term in exegeses of Marx. Based on Marx’s writings and D. Sayer’s work on Marx’s methodology, I then explicate the meaning of Marx’s term “economic category”. Finally, I arrive at an interpretation of Marx’s critique of economic theories as an analysis concerned with the improper use of theoretical concepts. By way of conclusion, I offer some general remarks on one important aspect of critique in Marx and in social science in general.

Teológia a falzifikácia

Author(s): Antony Flew / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 3/1999

Začnime parabolou. Je to parabola odvodená od príbehu, ktorý rozpráva John Wisdom vo svojom vyhľadávanom a priekopníckom článku s názvom Bohovia. Stretnú sa dvaja cestovatelia na rúbanisku v džungli.

Opisy

Author(s): Bertrand Russell / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 2/1995

V predošlej kapitole sme sa zapodievali slovami všetci a niektorý, v tejto kapitole budeme uvažovať o určitom člene the v jednotnom čísle a v nasledujúcej o určitom člene the v množnom čísle.

Some Remarks on the Mill-Frege Theory of Names

Author(s): Nicolás Lo Guerco / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2018

In a recent paper García-Carpintero (2017) argues that proper names possess, in addition to their standard referential truth conditional content, metalinguistic descriptive senses which take part in semantic presuppositions. The aim of this article is twofold. In the first part I present an argument against García-Carpintero’s presuppositional view, which I call the collapse argument. In short, I argue that the view has the unwelcome consequence of making contexts of use and felicitous contexts of use collapse. If this is correct, a presuppositional account of the metalinguistic descriptions allegedly associated with proper names proves incorrect. In the second part I sketch an alternative Millian strategy which is able to account for the evidence which allegedly supports the presuppositional view.

FREGEOVSKO REŠENJE PARADOKSA ANALIZE I KRITERIJUM ZA RAZGRANIČENJE MISLI

Author(s): Filip Čukljević / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2015

At the beginning of this essay a formulation of the paradox of analysis is presented. Standard Fregean solution of this paradox is then displayed, as well as the problems that this solution faces. Afterwords, another solution of the paradox of analysis is shown, which can be found in Frege's late writings. It will be demonstrated that this solution, at least at first sight, is incompatible with the criterion of difference of thoughts that is standardly attributed to Frege. In the end, a possible solution to this incompatibility is suggested.

NEKONTEKSTUALISTIČKA I KONTEKSTUALISTIČKA VERZIJA TEORIJE RELEVANTNIH ALTERNATIVA KAO MOGUĆA REŠENJA SKEPTIČKOG PARADOKSA

Author(s): Milica Smajević / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 3/2014

This paper analyzes the solution to the skeptical paradox provided by theory of relevant alternatives. The paper examines and compares two versions of this solution: the noncontextualist, invariantist version, whose creator and representative is Fred Dretske, and contextualist, variantist version, defended by Keith DeRose and Stewart Cohen. By analyzing invariantist and variantist solution, the author comes to the conclusion that, although both solutions have positive and negative implications, Dretske`s theory of relevant alternatives offers more convincing explanation and solution to the skeptical paradox.

KVAJNOVA BIHEJVIORISTIČKA TEORIJA JEZIKA

Author(s): Aleksandra Zorić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2014

Within Quine’s philosophy, behaviorism is most present in the language learning context, both in children’s learning their native language and in translating an unknown language. It was directed against mentalistic semantics and referential theories of meaning. We will focus the examination of Quine’s behaviorism on the thesis of indeterminacy of translation, since there we will find all the elements necessary for further analysis. We will try to explicate the content of the thesis of indeterminacy of translation and point out the key problems which it faces. We will show exactly what kind of behaviorism Quine is defending and to what degree is his theory of language a successful alternative to mentalistic theories of meaning.

Вступительное слово

Author(s): Garris Rogonyan / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2024

Рецензия на книгу Д. Жаккетта «Алексиус Майнонг, пастырь не-бытия»

Author(s): Andrei Patkul / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2024

Review of: Жаккетт Д., «Алексиус Майнонг, пастырь не-бытия», Mocksa: Kanon + POOW «Peabunuranus», 2023. ISBN 978-5-88373-782-3 In my review, I evaluate the first translation of Dale Jacquette’s book entitled Alexius Meinong, TheShepherd of Non-Being into Russian. First of all, I point out the relevance of the publication of this translation. It is conditioned, in my view, by the fact that the person of Alexius Meinong—one of the important representatives of the school of Franz Brentano—still remains undeservedly forgotten and not enough studied in both domestic and foreign history of philosophy. At the same time, studying the legacy of Meinong could shed the light on the peculiarity of the processes that took place in European philosophy at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, as well as show the common sources of such divergent directions in modern philosophy as analytical philosophy and phenomenology. Moreover, philosophy of Meinong could discover some perspectives for modern thought that other philosophers of the pastcannot indicate. All these points, in my opinion, are taken into account in Jacquette’s monograph. The advantage of his research is that he reconstructs the philosophy of Meinong, his theory of objects in a very broad historical and philosophical context of both phenomenological (F. Brentano, E. Husserl)and analytical (B. Russell, W. V. O. Quine, D. K. Lewis, S. Kripke) traditions. Systematically, the center of Meinong’s theory of objects is the doctrine of so-called Au.ersein of the objects, which can be considered not only as existing, but as not yet existing, no longer existing and even impossible. As conclusion,I criticize the translations of some of Meinong/Jacquette terms used in the monograph under review.

Artistic communication as an object of semiotics and linguistic aesthetics

Author(s): Vladimir Feshchenko / Language(s): English Issue: 3-4/2023

The paper addresses the concept of artistic communication as a type of semiotic interaction in the discourses of art. Semiotic methodologies for modelling the sign and the communicative act, developed in the works of Gottlob Frege, Gustav Shpet, Jan Mukařovský, Roman Jakobson, Juri Lotman, Umberto Eco, Suren Zolyan, and some other semioticians, are discussed with a focus on the models of aesthetic sign and the corresponding models of semiosis in relation to artistic systems. The study focuses on the discourses of verbal art in its various manifestations (poetry, prose, drama, performance, spoken word, etc.) as material for a linguistic analysis of artistic communication. The paper specifically discusses the linguistic representations of artistic discourse within a model of aesthetic semiosis. The resulting model of artistic communication in verbal art is presented as a synthesis of Jakobson’s scheme of communicative act and its important specification in Lotman’s model of “literary communication”. Based on the existing models of sign, semiosis, and communication (taking Jakobson’s scheme as the main framework), a synthetic, linguo-aesthetic model of artistic communication is outlined, considering together the linguistic, semiotic, and aesthetic parameters of the artistic act.

Semiotic mode and sensory modality in multimodal semiotics: Recognizing difference and building complementarity between the terms

Author(s): Martin Oja / Language(s): English Issue: 3-4/2023

This article addresses an issue in multimodal cultural studies – the inconsistent use of the notions ‘mode’ and ‘modality’. As these notions are frequently employed interchangeably, making a clear distinction between them and positioning them in a coherent system will be helpful. To outline such a system, I envisage a two-layer framework where modes and modalities support each other. The central branch of multimodal semiotics (developing from Gunther Kress’ sociosemiotics towards John Bateman’s comprehensive approach) recognizes ‘mode’ as a pivotal research concept. While ‘mode’ as a semiotic resource is dependent on its materiality, culturally shaped practices and discourse semantics, the neurocognitive characteristics of sensory modalities are often seen as secondary to meaning-making. This article suggests that discussion of the semiotic potential of sensory modalities is complementary to the semiotic theory of multimodality. In order to illustrate this, I will construct an experimental typology of modality relations, which also takes modes into account. This typology distinguishes between supporting, modifying, conflicting, substituting and cross-activating relations.

Geneza zachowań instynktownych

Author(s): Adriana Schetz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 67/2024

Although the category of instinct is included in almost every discourse in which animal behavior is analyzed, a closer look at the phenomenon that creates its specificity shows its elusiveness. One gets the impression that something called instinctive behavior is simply not significantly different from other non-instinctive behaviors. Firstly, instinct understood as innate, pre-programmed behavior partially loses its features of automaticity and rigid schematicity when its features are compared with the features of other behaviors acquired through learning. Secondly, the genesis of the instinct, which is at least partly to be found in epigenetics and the mechanisms of individual development, shows that the differences between it and other behaviors not inherited genetically are not as large as may be assumed at first glance. Third, a promising explanation for the origin of instinctive behavior is the ecological theory originally formulated by Eleanor Gibson and James J. Gibson for perception, as it allows us to understand the role of environmental factors in the development of patterns of instinctive action.

Cultural Intelligence, Spiritual Intelligence and Counseling in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Author(s): Sandu Frunză / Language(s): English Issue: 64/2023

Cultural Intelligence and Spiritual Intelligence have become valuable working tools in the context of global relations, creating both opportunities and challenges for individuals in the digital era. The development of communication technologies, global economic relations, network work, migration, population mobility, and labor mobility contribute to the creation of diverse spaces. These spaces require harmonious rela­tionships between individuals. In the age of Artificial Intelligence and digital globalization, there is a need to cultivate relationships based on Cultural Intelligence and Spiritual Intelligence, both individually and institutionally. To foster these forms of intelligence, I suggest using philosophical practices and coun­seling. This can help to harmonize them with human reality and its needs, valuing what is unique and authentic in each individual, especially in contexts marked by cultural diversity. Communication, success, and self-discovery are crucial ingredients in developing leadership qualities in contexts characterized by spiritual pluralism and multicultural relations.

EIGENTLICHKEIT UND UNEIGENTLICHKEIT DER RELIGION IM AUSGANG VON HEIDEGGER

Author(s): Virgilio Cesarone / Language(s): German Issue: 2/2009

This work aims to investigate the possibility of critiquing a religion with regard to its authenticity/inauthenticity. Where this possibility is found to exist, Heiddeger's existential analytics will be employed to understand the phenomenon of religion. Ultimately, the criteria of existential analytics themselves will be put under scrutiny.

Майнонг: новое прочтение или Погружение в традицию

Author(s): Vitaly Tselishchev / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2024

This article is a response to A. Patkul’s review of my translation of D. Jacquette’s book “Alexius Meinong, the Shepherd of Non-Being.” I disagree with reviewer’s opinion on a number of issues. One of the objections is that A. Patkul proceeds from the implicit (and sometimes explicit) opposition of analytical and continental philosophy when considering the contents of a book written by an analytical philosopher, and moreover translated by an analytical philosopher. This attitude is manifested by him in two trends. Firstly, it is an emphasis on the already well-known sides of the Meinong’s theory of objects,which is rather of historical and philosophical interest, tending more to repeat the “Brentanian” roots and phenomenological aspects of Mining. Actually, the application of Meinong’s ideas to modern philosophical problems, which is the subject of Jacquette’s book, is practically ignored. Secondly, reviewer’s claims to the terminological decisions of the translator turn out, in addition to trivial typos, to be the result of all his desire to keep Meinong in the bosom of often scholastic terminology, with the recommendation to make do with Latin tracing paper. From my point of view, despite the well-known quirkiness of the terminology of Meinong himself, when translating, one should strive to convey the meaning in terms understandable to the reader.

Generative Linguistics and the Computational Level

Author(s): FINTAN MALLORY / Language(s): English Issue: 71/2024

Generative linguistics is widely claimed to produce theories at the level of computation in the sense outlined by David Marr. Marr even used generative grammar as an example of a computational level theory. At this level, a theory specifies a function for mapping one kind of information into another. How this function is computed is then specified at the algorithmic level before an account of how this is algorithm is realised by some physical system is presented at the implementation level. This paper will argue that generative linguistics does not fi t anywhere within this framework. We will then look at several ways researchers have attempted to modify either the framework of generative theory to reconcile the two approaches. Finally, it presents and discusses an alternative position, anti-realism about generative grammar. While this position has attracted some recent support, it also runs into some of the problems that earlier modifications faced.

Embedded Metaphor and Perspective Shifting

Author(s): Gong Chen,GRAHAM STEVENS / Language(s): English Issue: 71/2024

Non-cognitivism is an approach to metaphor that denies the existence of any metaphorical meanings. A metaphor’s only meaning is its literal meaning. The interpretation of metaphor, on this approach, does not consist in metaphorical contents being communicated by being either semantically encoded or pragmatically communicated. Rather, metaphor operates in an entirely non-linguistic way that does not require the postulation of such meanings. Metaphors cause people to see connections, even to grasp new thoughts, but they do not do so by meaning those thoughts or connections. Non-cognitivism faces a stern challenge from the problem of embedding: metaphors embedded in propositional attitude reports seem to require metaphorical meanings in their truth conditions. In this paper, we argue that existing attempts to solve this problem for non-cognitivism have been unsuccessful. We then offer a new solution that differentiates two scope readings of embedded metaphors and explains each in turn. The paper thus suggests that non-cognitivism has enough rescores to account for embedded metaphors.

Concepts are Containers

Author(s): Robert O’Shaughnessy,Mark Sprevak / Language(s): English Issue: 72/2024

In this paper, we propose and defend a theory of concepts. According to Machery (2009), psychologists and philosophers mean different things by ‘concept’. Psychologists mean bodies of knowledge used to categorise and infer; philosophers mean constituent of propositional thought. Machery’s conclusion would drive a wedge between contributions by psychologists and philosophers on concepts. Theories about the former would have no clear role to play in, and cast no light on, the latter, and vice versa. We argue that, on the contrary, ‘concept’ has a single core meaning: a container of stored knowledge pertaining to a single category. This single meaning satisfies both the theories of psychologists and philosophers. The divergence in use of the term ‘concept’ on which Machery focuses arises because words for containers are often used to refer to (a) what is contained by the container and (b) the label of a container. Our account explains what a concept is, and how one might be misled by Machery’s challenge.

THE CURSE OF INTELLIGENCE: THE LONE GENIUS AND THE MAD SCIENTIST

Author(s): Bianca-Iuliana FRANKE (MISINCIUC) / Language(s): English Issue: 15-16/2024

This paper analyzes the image of the lone genius and that of the mad scientist in scholarly literature and investigates the downsides of high intelligence and creativity. A review of relevant academic work reveals that these matters are very much debated in the scientific community, with some researchers dismissing such ideas as myths, and others bringing evidence to support their validity. Behind the romanticized representation of the individualistic lone genius and the anecdotal tale of the mad scientist, there are clues that set a connection between myth and reality. Scientific and artistic intelligence are examined in relation to loneliness and madness, looking to clarify the associations between high cognitive or creative ability and some mental health issues and their implications. Certain personality traits, ways of thinking and ways of responding to stimuli, were found to increase the vulnerability of highly intelligent or creative people to issues such as loneliness, mood disturbances, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, and even physiological diseases, addiction to alcohol and other illicit substances. Genius, loneliness and madness are not inherently akin, but they share common ground and their intersection points act as quirks that ultimately enable highly intelligent and creative individuals to think outside the box, spawn original ideas, have a visionary perspective and achieve the outstanding. A small experiment is conducted to explore the link between creativity, loneliness and mood swings.

HISTORY OF FORMALISM: FROM ARISTOTLE TO GÖDEL

Author(s): Robert Djidjian / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

Using formal means for developing scientific theories became a tradition from the times of Aristotle’s Analytics. Ernst Schröder built the complete algebraic theory of inferences by the end of the 19th century. The idea of a complete formalization emerged as a way for eliminating paradoxes in foundations of mathematics that Bertrand Russell has revealed at the very start of the 20th century. Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead developed the first completely formalized theory in the three volumes of Principia Mathematica (1910 - 1913). David Hilbert enhanced the formation of metatheoretical approach to axiomatic theories by his call for proving the consistency of mathematics by using only finitary means. All of a sudden, in this atmosphere of steady axiomatic studies, a young mathematical genius Kurt Gödel published his famous theorem, which proved the incompleteness of a formal arithmetic system. Gödel’s theorem raised a huge wave of metatheoretical studies of formal systems. His main instrument, called Gödel’s numbering, was a special type of self-referential expressions that caused paradoxes just in foundations of mathematics. An aspect of Gödel's approach, that may raise discussions, is the formalization of metalogic itself, which actually may eliminate the idea of metatheory.