This paper undertakes a critical examination of Czesław Miłosz’s negative responses to contemporary art in general, and American modernist poetry in particular. It focuses on Miłosz’s interpretations of Cézanne’s statements and Wallace Stevens’s poems, and concludes that the Polish poet’s inability and unwillingness to appreciate contemporary art results from his recognition and approval of mimetic representation as the only strategy which guarantees rationality, certainty, a sense of metaphysical hierarchy and which is informed by them. Quoted are Miłosz’s somewhat angry reactions to the concepts of abstract, non-fi gurative art as well as his words of admiration for the representational moment apparently inherent in both poetry and painting. Parenthetically, the paper points to Miłosz’s repressed feelings of existential and epistemological ambivalence, arguably the most valuable aspect of his work.
The aim of this paper is to highlight the use of some expressionist motifs and patterns in The Madwoman of Chaillot [La Folle de Chaillot] by Giraudoux. In the analysed drama we can see realisation of such expressionist process as antinaturalistic desobjectivization of the world, developed monologism, social middle-class revolt, rehabilitation of a marginal protagonist, abstraction, antinaturalism, or subjectivism inducing the “irradiation” of the author’s I.
This paper considers the foundations of legal interpretation against the background of the theory of embodied cognition and mental simulation. It is argued that interpretation has a double, concrete-abstract nature. The understanding of concrete language is made possible by the mechanism of mental simulation. In turn, the interpretation of abstract language (and hence of most of legal language) requires to apply the procedures of exemplification, paraphrase and embedding. The relationship between these two modes of language comprehension is analyzed and the thesis is defended that they represent two extremes of a continuous spectrum rather than isolated mechanisms. Finally, the significance of such a conception of interpretation for legal methodology is considered. It is argued that the conception provides a unifying, foundational framework for any theory of legal interpretation, as well as generates fresh insights into the nature of understanding legal statutes. cancelcancel
The text juxtaposes two different understandings of religion, the first: Hegelian, where it functions as an imaginary representation of the concept, and the second: Derridean, which confronts and radicalizes the idea of the death of God. At the center of their juxtaposition is the process of abstraction and the religious figure of the “desert” which both authors use to illustrate it. Central to Derrida’s thinking of religion, understood as a figure of relentless negativity in search of difference, a “desert” can also be found in Hegel’s exploration of “unhappy consciousness,” where it is used in reference to the crusaders and serves as a metonymy of the futile imaginary association of Christ’s divinity with his actual, individual body. The text sets out to complicate what Hegel understands as the abstract nature of Christ’s body and body in general with reference to Derridean gesture of religious purification and through the analysis of Saint Thomas, a work by a baroque painter, Georges de La Tour which is analyzed as an embodiment of the complex relations between religious abstraction and image.
In this paper some special features of phenomenology which enable them to be a possible ground for a research program in economics, complementing previous mainstream results, are reviewed. The potential fruits and their importance will also be highlighted. The direct purpose is to study what scientific problems have been hidden beyond the territory of mainstream economics and what scientific methods are available for economists to scrutinize an area mainly ignored, that is, the unquestioned aspects of our socio-economic reality. Along these lines we can get to findings that can complement the traditional research directions of mainstream economics. In this paper some special features of phenomenology which enable them to be a possible ground for a research program in economics, complementing previous mainstream results, are reviewed. The potential fruits and their importance will also be highlighted. The direct purpose is to study what scientific problems have been hidden beyond the territory of mainstream economics and what scientific methods are available for economists to scrutinize an area mainly ignored, that is, the unquestioned aspects of our socio-economic reality. Along these lines we can get to findings that can complement the traditional research directions of mainstream economics.
The struggle undertaken by Galileo Galilei against Aristotelian physics—and his subsequent defense of Nicolaus Copernicus’s theories—led the Pisan scientist to bring about the so-called modern scientific revolution and to lay the foundations of the experimental method, the fundamental result of which was to deprive the natural world of subjective qualities and to reconfigure it in purely quantitative terms. On the purely historical level, agreement among historians of science and philosophy is almost unanimous, while the same cannot be said for questions concerning interpretations of Galilei’s modus operandi and the basic philosophical options adopted by Galilei during his demolition of the entire Aristotelian-scholastic framework. Not all experts in the Galilean thought or of science, in fact, agree in tracing the Galilean reflection within the Platonic tradition, but one authoritative voice that has instead argued for its deep intertwining between Plato and Galilei is the German philosopher Ernst Cassirer. In this contribution I will attempt to demonstrate, partly considering two unpublished manuscripts of Cassirer, the plausibility of the Cassirerian thesis about Galilei’s physical Platonism.
After Rachel E. Burke briefly introduces the essays presented with a focus on our contemporary relationship to modern subjectivity, Mieke Bal will make the case for the sense of presentness on an affective and sensuous level in Munch’s paintings and Flaubert’s writing by selecting a few topics and cases from the book Emma and Edvard Looking Sideways: Loneliness and the Cinematic, published by the Munch Museum in conjunction with the exhibition Emma & Edvard. It is this foregrounded presentness that not only produces the ongoing thematic relevance of these works, but more importantly, the sense-based conceptualism that declares art and life tightly bound together. If neither artist eliminated figuration in favour of abstraction, they had a good reason for that. Art is not a representation of life, but belongs to it, illuminates it and helps us cope with it by sharpening our senses. As an example, a few paintings will clarify what I mean by the noun-qualifier “cinematic” and how that aesthetic explains the production of loneliness.
Particularly in the latter half of the nineteenth century sensorial experiences changed at breakneck speed. Social and technological developments of modernity like the industrial revolution, rapid urban expansion, the advance of capitalism and the invention of new technologies transformed the field of the senses. Instead of attentiveness, distraction became prevalent. It is not only Baudelaire who addressed these transformations in his poems, but they can also be recognized in the works of novelist Gustave Flaubert and painter Edward Munch. By means of the work of William James, Walter Benjamin, Siegfried Kracauer and Georg Simmel, the repercussions of this crisis of the senses for subjectivity will be discussed.
Particularly in the latter half of the nineteenth century sensorial experiences changed at breakneck speed. Social and technological developments of modernity like the industrial revolution, rapid urban expansion, the advance of capitalism and the invention of new technologies transformed the field of the senses. Instead of attentiveness, distraction became prevalent. It is not only Baudelaire who addressed these transformations in his poems, but they can also be recognized in the works of novelist Gustave Flaubert and painter Edward Munch. By means of the work of William James, Walter Benjamin, Siegfried Kracauer and Georg Simmel, the repercussions of this crisis of the senses for subjectivity will be discussed.
After Rachel E. Burke briefly introduces the essays presented with a focus on our contemporary relationship to modern subjectivity, Mieke Bal will make the case for the sense of presentness on an affective and sensuous level in Munch’s paintings and Flaubert’s writing by selecting a few topics and cases from the book Emma and Edvard Looking Sideways: Loneliness and the Cinematic, published by the Munch Museum in conjunction with the exhibition Emma & Edvard. It is this foregrounded presentness that not only produces the ongoing thematic relevance of these works, but more importantly, the sense-based conceptualism that declares art and life tightly bound together. If neither artist eliminated figuration in favour of abstraction, they had a good reason for that. Art is not a representation of life, but belongs to it, illuminates it and helps us cope with it by sharpening our senses. As an example, a few paintings will clarify what I mean by the noun-qualifier “cinematic” and how that aesthetic explains the production of loneliness.
The construal level theory is a broadly accepted theory in social psychology, investigated by many researchers in recent years. Today the theory provides a research frame for variety of topics from the marketing and customer behaviour to cognitive functions, coping strategies or morality (Moss, 2016). In the heart of the theory there is the understanding of the mechanisms of construing mental representations and how those representations influence our thinking together with a context. In the following article we present an introduction to the construal level theory and many studies applying the findings into various fields of the psychological research. The key terms are abstractness / concreteness and the relationship of this dimension to the construct of psychological distance. Abstract and concrete mental representations are an important topic for understanding difficulties in learning and processing a school curriculum. Therefore we understand the construal level theory as an important approach that is applicable in a pedagogical psychology research. We offer our own point of view of the application of this theory in education, namely in the attitude research and abstract knowledge processing.
CS
Teorie úrovně interpretace (construal level theory) je všeobecně přijímanou a v posledních letech intenzivně zkoumanou teorií, původně v oblasti sociální psychologie. Dnes teorie úrovně interpretace poskytuje výzkumný rámec řadě zkoumaných témat v oblastech od marketingu a jednání spotřebitelů po výzkum kognitivních funkcí, copingových strategií nebo morálky (Moss, 2016). Podstatou teorie úrovně interpretace je porozumění mechanismu utváření mentálních reprezentací a způsobu, jakým mentální reprezentace a jejich kontext ovlivňuje naše myšlení. V předkládaném textu nabízíme úvod do teorie úrovně interpretace a seznamujeme čtenáře s řadou studií, které teorii úrovně interpretace aplikují na různé oblasti psychologického výzkumu. Klíčovými pojmy jsou rozměr abstraktnost / konkrétnost a vztah této dimenze na konstrukt tzv. psychologické vzdálenosti. Abstraktní a konkrétní mentální reprezentace jsou v oblasti vzdělávání důležitým tématem pro porozumění obtíží při zpracovávání látky. Chápeme proto teorii úrovně interpretace jako nosný přístup, aplikovatelný při výzkumu v pedagogické psychologii. Nabízíme vlastní pohled na využití této teorie pro potřeby vzdělávání, především v oblasti zkoumání postojů žáků a porozumění obtíží při práci s abstraktními poznatky.
In our article, we attempt to show that in addition to Thomas’ official position, according to which mathematics is, along with physics and metaphysics, a real theoretical science, there also exists a whole series of indications that put this position in doubt. These as it were side standing lead us to the conclusion that in Thomas’ texts there is to be found the embryo of a distinct constructivist conception of mathematics. From the point of view of constructivism, we then attempt to create a conception of mathematics that would be in agreement with the fundamental suppositions of a Peripatetic conception.
CS
V našich úvahách ukazujeme, že u Tomáše sice převládá koncepce, podle níž je matematika společně s fyzikou a metafyzikou reálnou teoretickou vědou, ale vedle toho existuje i celá řada náznaků, které toto stanovisko zpochybňují. Tyto nepočetné a spíše marginální úvahy nás vedou k závěru, že v Tomášových textech je zárodek určité „konstruktivistické“ koncepce matematiky. Z hlediska konstruktivismu se pak pokoušíme vytvořit koncepci matematiky, která by byla ve shodě se základními předpoklady peripatetické tradice.
DE
In unseren Überlegungen versuchten wir nachzuweisen, dass es neben Thomas von Aquins offiziellem Standpunkt, demgemäß die Mathematik zusammen mit Physik und Metaphysik eine reale theoretische Wissenschaft darstellt, auch eine ganze Reihe von Andeutungen gibt, die diesen Standpunkt hinterfragen. Diese eher am Rande erscheinenden Anmerkungen führten uns zu dem Schluss, dass in den Texten Thomas von Aquins der Keim eines gewissen „konstruktivistischen“ Mathematikkonzepts ruht. Hinsichtlich des Konstruktivismus versuchen wir dann, ein Mathematikkonzept zu entwickeln, das im Einklang mit den Grundvoraussetzungen des peripatetischen Konzepts stünde.
The paper examines the problematic nature of making generalisation ambivalent or, in other words, abstraction in pedagogical consequences. The paper adds to the discussion of good and evil in education by answering two questions. The fi rst question stems from the antinomous nature of educational aims (i.e. education is to servethe society but also to develop an individual): can educational antinomies be eliminated or is education an antinomous activity and hence it is necessary to take into account its ambivalence? The second question inquires to which extent do we understand what it means to be an authentic personality and the degree to which we can educate for authenticity. The paper proposes Kierkegaard’s and Blondel’s motive of authenticity as a partial way out of contradictions which result from the mentioned antinomies. The paper also shows that looking for education for authenticity is complicated by attempts at formulating a generally acceptable principle of education and that education suffers the most when it forgets about its antinomous nature. For its attempts to avoid contradictions lead to unacceptable abstractions and formalism. The paper then introduces the problem of making generalisation ambivalent in relation to educational competencies and concludes with describing the irrevocable yet restorative nature of antinomies.
Originative apprehension often has been examined in recent decades in light of Aquinas’ reflections. Yet there has not always been agreement in regard to what constitutes such, often due to different emphases given by interpreters to aspects of St. Thomas’ analyses articulated in different contexts. Arguably, it is possible to reconcile certain seemingly divergent important interpretations by reflecting on an important, yet somewhat recessive, theme that Thomas adverted to sparingly throughout his career in utilizing analyses of predecessors to forge his own synthesis to explain cognition in terms of being that is centered on the reciprocal priorities of judging and concomitant incomplex abstracting.
The ethical problems of music should be divided into two layers. The outer layer of musicethics (1) concerns interdisciplinary aspects and, more specifically, relations between musicand other areas of culture and civilization. This complex layer may be explored in orderto find answers to questions regarding the problem of the negative ethical content of contemporaryculture influencing the realm of music. Regarding the commonly understoodcharacteristic tendencies in social life, this category of problems does not, in fact, relateto music. Contrary, the inner layer of music ethics (2) concerns the autonomous music:this is a kind of music which has no contact with non-musical content. It seems that theemotional response which occurs much more often in music listeners than in people experiencingother forms of art suggests the presence of ethical elements in the very core ofautonomic music. Will, the practical force which according to Schopenhauer is directlyrepresented in music, may be considered while analyzing this yet unexplored problem.The unique ethical status of music intrigued a number of twentieth-century philosophers,including T.W. Adorno, E. Bloch, E. Cioran, N. Hartmann, and K.R. Popper. Their numerouscomments may be regarded as a call for the Platonic reuniting of music with beauty,good, and truth.
Etyczne zagadnienia muzyki należy podzielić na dwie warstwy. Warstwa zewnętrzna etykimuzycznej (1) dotyczyć będzie spraw interdyscyplinarnych, czyli związków między muzykąa innymi dziedzinami kultury i cywilizacji. W tej bogatej warstwie można znaleźć odpowiedźna pytanie o przesiąkanie treści etycznie negatywnych dzisiejszej rzeczywistości nateren muzyki; jednak ten kompleks zagadnień dotyczy w gruncie rzeczy typowych tendencjiszeroko pojętego życia społecznego, jest zatem dla czystej muzyki nieswoisty. Warstwa wewnętrznaetyki muzycznej (2) odnosić się natomiast będzie do tej muzyki, która nie ma kontaktuz pozamuzycznymi treściami, do muzyki autonomicznej. Wydaje się, że wzruszenie,które dzieła muzyczne wywołują u słuchaczy w stopniu przerastającym analogiczne zjawiskow wypadku innych sztuk, świadczy o obecności pierwiastków etycznych w samym jądrzemuzyki autonomicznej. Wola, siła praktyczna, której muzyka jest – według Schopenhauera– bezpośrednim przedstawieniem, mogłaby przyczynić się do rozważenia tego wciąż niezbadanegoproblemu. Niepowtarzalny status etyczny muzyki wielokrotnie skłaniał do zastanowieniasię nad nim wielu filozofów XX wieku, w tym T.W. Adorna, E. Blocha, E. Ciorana,N. Hartmanna, K.R. Poppera. Te liczne wypowiedzi trzeba odczytać jako nawoływanie dozwrotu w stronę ponownego platońskiego połączenia muzyki z pięknem, dobrem i prawdą.
This paper looks at how the idea of pointless topology itself evolved during its pre-localic phase by analyzing the definitions of the concept of topological space of Menger and Nöbeling. Menger put forward a topology of lumps in order to generalize the definition of the real line. As to Nöbeling, he developed an abstract theory of posets so that a topological space becomes a particular case of topological poset. The analysis emphasizes two points. First, Menger’s geometrical perspective was superseded by an algebraic one, a lattice-theoretical one to be precise. Second, Menger’s bottom-up approach was replaced by a top-down one.
This article offers a reading of Jacques Derrida’s account of “religion” and “life” in his seminal essay “Faith and Knowledge.” Applying Derrida’s aporetic structure of “X without X” to his remarks on religion and life in “Faith and Knowledge,” this article suggests that underlying Derrida’s endeavor to “think religion abstractly” is a radical re-conception not only of religion as “religion without religion” but moreover a re-imagination of life as “life without life” that breaks away from the traditional metaphysical understandings of life and religion.
Theory of art as so called the theory of intuition-expression extremely and clearlydemonstrates the way of a mystic experience as a experience of the Absolute. Croce’sconcept of the Absolute is a sign of being spiritual, no diverse in itself, what is morefully given in an emotional (feeling)artistic expression (artwork). Imagination asan appropriate representational power expressively became, in this context, thesphere of the Absolute (indifferent intuition, totality of Being) in which the Absolute realizes – through creation of art – the material world. An artist, because ofhis creative imagination, appears for Croce as a complete, perfect man and fulfillsa creative and demiurge function for the world. According to Kandinsky, inspiredby Steiner’s antroposophy, art doesn’t present concrete thingsbut using a maximumsimplistic concrete form, expresses and shows things in itself, as an ideal, spiritual,absolute but compared to the world of concretes, the mentioned thingsare internal,substantial, essential and “abstractive”. Abstraction as a “true reality” demands ofgiving up the empirical world and looking continuously at the sphere of absolute“necessity”. Art is a specific, inspired knowledge of the Absolute and an abstractartist inspired by this knowledge and expressing it in his artworks must be understoodin a way characteristic of mysticism (an inspired visionary-prophet, perfect man).In Adorno’s aesthetic theory art actualizes the nature in aspect of beauty and thisactualization consists in changing towards the lack of identity. An individual (eachone ) artwork is the “epiphany” of “spirit” of art, that is an aesthetically Absolute.As a result an artwork presents itself as a kind of “mystic event”, but an artist expressing the sphere of the Absolute still be an inspired visionary going beyond thenatural (empirical) order.All of these theories of art are based on the old neoplato-arabian theory of “creativeimagination” which determinates their quasi- or pseudo-mystic aspiration. Theyare not go beyond tradition, that is “natural mysticism” (characteristic of pantheism). This kind of mysticism differs from revelation mysticism on the grounds ofTranscendence (aspect of a object) and classical moment ofcontemplatio (aspectof a subject).
This article investigates the growing proliferation of curtains and wall hangings as key elements in the design of art exhibitions in the years 1930–1955. To demonstrate how textiles were successfully employed as mediators on the threshold between architecture, design objects, and fine arts, I first examine the increasing use of curtains in the interwar period, Fascist Italy, and Nazi Germany to subsequently explore how the role of fabrics in both countries’ rationalist and neoclassicist architecture also played a significant part in exhibition design after the Second World War. I chart how the interest in textiles culminated in 1955, when glossy plastic curtains were integrated into the exhibition architecture at the first documenta in Kassel, Germany, one of the country’s most prestigious recurring art events to this day. During these politically turbulent decades, the exchange between exhibition designers in both countries was bound together by a profound reassessment of the relation between architecture, design, and art. The renewed consciousness of design as an integrated practice played a key role in 1930s architecture, also providing the foundation for the Bauhaus curriculum and the work of artists, designers, and architects (e.g., Wassily Kandinsky, Giuseppe Pagano, Le Corbusier, Carlo Scarpa, Willi Baumeister, Arnold Bode). I demonstrate that during this period textiles were essential for creating continuity between exhibitions and exhibits of vastly differing styles and contexts. The wall hangings, veils, and banners that were used as part of the monumental spaces created for the Fascist regimes in Italy and Germany were ultimately appropriated and turned into means to undermine the neoclassicist and rationalist style in a way that echoed, I argue, society’s neobaroque sensibility in the aftermath of World War II. Though the Federal Republic of Germany’s first two decades were characterized by the general will to educate its citizens in the aesthetics of internationalism, this effort and the concomitant return to the interwar period were accompanied by a strong resurgence in religiosity and desire for emotionally compelling experiences, which signify a partial disavowal of modernism’s most radical stipulations.
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