Hledání minimálního slovníku: jazyková analýza ideje pokroku

• Authors: Holecek Tomas

Title variants

EN

SEARCH FOR A MINIMAL VOCABULARY: LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF THE IDEA OF PROGRESS

• Languages of publication: CS

Abstracts

EN

The article provides a language analysis of the idea of progress. It briefly outlines the method of search for minimal vocabulary as has been proposed by Bertrand Russell in 'Human Knowledge, Its Scope and Limits'. Then it considers the application of this method to a social theory, namely to the language used in a theory of progress. As an example theory it uses the well known essay 'L'anciene regime et la revolution' (1856) by Alexis de Tocqueville. The language of the theory is analyzed, abstracted expressions are pointed out and the minimal vocabulary is presented: it consists of verb-expressions 'to see', 'to be wrong', 'to doubt', 'to think', 'to feel', 'to be surprised', 'to choose', 'to express' and 'to rely'; of noun-expressions 'demise', 'cause', 'change', 'nature' and 'banality' together with pronouns and logical expressions. The rules for construction of composed expressions and propositions are set up and a reconstruction of the object language is suggested. The abstract character of the method is reflected.

Keywords

EN

ABSTRACTION; ANALYSIS; LANGUAGE; MINIMAL VOCABULARY; PROGRESS

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Teorie vědy (Theory of Science)
• Year: 2008
• Volume: 17/30
• Issue: 3-4
• Pages: 117-148
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Holecek Tomas

• Tomas Holecek, Filosoficky ustav AV CR, Jilska 1, Praha 1, 110 00, Czech Republic; http://dlib.lib.cas.cz/4448/

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

09CZAAAA065117