Week 6 Seminar Paper

Lanugage

Frege on Sense and Reference

Gottlob Frege was a German logician, mathematician and philosopher who played a crucial role in the emergence of logic and analytic philosophy. Frege's logical works were revolutionary, and are often taken to represent the fundamental break between contemporary approaches and the older,Aristotelian tradition. Frege paper ‘Sense and Reference’ written in 1892 with explains the difference between the two kinds of significations. It is a theory of the philosophy of language of the mind. Essentially, the theory of sense points that "sense" and "reference" are two different and separate aspects of a term's meaning, and that both of these are semantic necessities for a statement have significance. For example the names "Dr. Seuss" and "Theodore Geisel" refer to the same person, but each name expresses a different sense. Thus the "a=a" and "a=b" substitution conundrum is explained. Since "a" has a different sense from "b," the sense of the entire expression "a=a" is different from the sense of the expression "a=b." When this idea is taken one step further, you can see how the usage of "a" for "b" in a propositional attitude statement like "John believes that Theodore Geisel wrote 'The Cat in the Hat'" can result in an untrue statement; in this example, "Theodore Geisel" and "Dr. Seuss" have different references as well as senses, as "Theodore Geisel" refers to a man who could be said to not have written any books. This in a way answers the question is there relation between objects, or between names or signs of objects. Frege applies the distinction between sense and reference to sentences of all kind. In a way I can agree with Freges theory as creating logics out of it. Seeing the difference between sense and references how a little extra sign such as ‘Dr’ can change the view of the whole image.

The Pragmatists on Language and Truth

Charles S. Peirce was a pragmatist who created theory and logic based on language which was embedded in a general theory of signs. Peirce called that semiotics as his idea was that sign stands for an object which be being understood or interpreted can it itself be seen as further sign. The semiotic function of signs had a relation between representamen, object and interpretant. Peirce put signs into three classes and related to real life examples. Natural sign of a cloud relates to natural sign of rain. The next one is iconic signs which signify by resembling their object. An example of that are naturalistic paintings, sculptures and also maps. The third and last one is the Iconic sign which was two features. First one is a sign could share the same its object and some features that each could have in common but if the other did not exist. Second one symbols which words are important such as uniforms and traffic signals. Peirce and James also looked at the meaning of truth. They relate truth to pragmatism and state that it is not so inconsistent with realism. Truth and Reality are not the same as each but they can relate as truth is something thought or said about reality. In this case I can agree on his classes as Natural signs surround our normal day life activity or living. For example seeing a ‘Stop’ on the road not only means you should stop literally but also is a warning if you don’t you put yourself and others in danger. Peirce point on iconic signs I can agree with it as certain signs represent something they have a deeper meaning to them.

Language Games and Private Language

Wittgenstein stated he had an idea that philosophy was an activity, not a theory and that philosophical pronouncements were not propositions in the same sense as statements of everyday language. He believed that ordinary language embedded that social activities and structures that he called ‘language-games’. Wittgenstein said that the significance to sound and marks on paper that make up language is by themselves the symbols are inert and dead. They become alive by being meant by speakers and writers to be understood by readers and hearers. Wittgenstein idea or theory relate to society as language can be embedded by a culture. Different words or signs can adopt different meanings which can lead to a change of a language. In a way this can be a game as games are not based on reality. Language is made up and given life by the use of it.

All this theories or ideas no matter if they are right or wrong they have helped shape our language or identity. What they have said or stated has been taken into a consideration and taken into explaining what language is and creating a part of us and how important it is.

Week 5 Lecture 3

Structuralism-Hermeneutics: Hidden Meanings

Hermeneutics is derived from a Greek word, meaning to interpret, and its derivative meaning is interpretation. The first step of understanding is to untangle its multiple layers. In its barest sense, hermeneutics can be understood as a theory, methodology and praxis of interpretation that is geared towards the recapturing of meaning of a text, or a text-analogue, that is temporally or culturally distant, or obscured by ideology and false consciousness.

Structuralism could be seen as a method of interpretation and analysis of aspects of humans life's, their behaviour ,culture and experience that focuses on their relationships with each other.A human person, as another, or as a text, is certainly viewed as a decentred person by the post-structuralist. But the human person, as the self, or as the reader, or as the post-structuralist critic, is viewed in a slightly different light. In the bottom-line, the post-structuralist philosophy of the subject wavers between the Cartesian and the existential paradigms of subjectivity. As heirs of the philosophies of suspicion of Marx, Nietzsche and Freud, post-structuralist hermeneutics also adheres to a philosophy of the object that is similar to that of the critical hermeneutics: texts are warped by power and ideology according to their work and views.

Week 4 Seminar 2

Philosophy Of Mind

Jeremy Bentham born in 1748 - died in 1832 was an english jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. Benthams Principles of Morals and Legislation written in 1789 was a theory that actions are insofar as they produce pleasure or prevent pain. It is also an explanation of a political theory that the purpose of civil or criminal laws is to maximise the amount of pleasure or happiness which may be enjoyed by society. Bentham also argues that if utility is defined as the ability to produce happiness , then the rightness of an action is determined by its utility. Bentham also states if happiness is viewed as the only thing which is intrinsically good, then the principle of utility is the only right principle of human action.

Bentham maintains that the principle of utility is the only sufficient ground of deciding whether an action is morally right or wrong. The principle of sympathy and antipathy for example the feeling of approval or disapproval for the expected consequences of an action is not a sufficient ground for judging the moral rightness or wrongness of an action. This is in a way relates to Freud as he believes in the ID, Ego and Superego, where the Ego is causing pain, horror and ID says let it out but the Super Ego says 'hold it in' and control whatever the problem is.

The Freudian Unconscious

Freud believed that we dreamed in codes. He claimed, dreams are almost always the fulfilment, in a fantasy, of a repressed wish. True, few dreams are obvious representations of a satisfaction, and some dreams such as nightmares seem to be just the opposite. This relates to the unconscious mind in a way that is defined as that part of the mind which gives rise to a collection of mental phenomena that manifest in a person's mind but which the person is not aware of at the time of occurrence. These phenomena include unconscious feelings, unconscious or automatic skills, unnoticed perceptions, unconscious thoughts, unconscious habits and automatic reactions, complexes and hidden phobias and concealed desires.

Week 3 Lecture 2

Sigmund Freud

Freud was a man who regarded him self as a scientist and in indeed the inventor of new science. Freud was born in 1856 in Moravia into an Austrian family non-observant Jews. He trained as doctor in the university there and later on joined the staff of General hospital where specializing in brain anatomy. Sigmund Freud tries to explain everything, the world we live in, us humans, how and what we think. According to him He was the first person that has seen our true us. Freud believed that we are naturally aggressive and our aggression would never be eliminated. So in a way we are limited and would not allow us to progress further on. Freud also believed everything around us is pain. Our life is a pain, getting older as time passes is a pain for example playing a football game at would take longer for your muscles to recover, you wake up the next day and your aching. Its in our nature to be workaholics, we are meant to go study constantly and just live with the pain. He also talked about that Dreams is where we find out true self's, what we actually are. Freuds theory were that dreams no less than neurotic symptoms were a coded expression of repressed sexual desire. According to him deep down we always thought about sex, that's all that is in our minds, everything has a sexual meaning. But in a way we put it on the side as we have " a police officer in our heads " that controls us and keeps us on track.

Week 2 Seminar 1

Tabloid Nation

Tabloid Nation is a book written by Chris Horrie which discusses the development of The Daily Mirror Newspaper over the years since it was first published. The Daily Mirror was introduced first in 1903. Horrie talks about in his book how the newspaper developed over the years by doing anything possible to increase their sells. The Daily Mirror began by sending reporters to the front line in World War 1 & 2 to produce live coverage news that would keep Britain updated. Their also introduced pictures in the Newspaper which benefited them by increasing their sells. Back in those day they were the first newspaper to allow women to voice their opinions, so that attracted a lot of female readers. Chris Horrie also mentions how correct news control the media in the UK. A lot of politics power being involved and talked about in the paper. In a way Tabloid Nation can relate to Citizen Kane as they would do anything to get some news and the fact that Charles Kane was involved in policitcs. Their strive to power took their sells to 2millions copiers per day in the UK which made them very successful just by doing anything possible to get their hands on some news.

Week & Lecture 1

Modernism

Modernism is a study which seeks to spread its efforts across literature, theatre, music and art in the first half of the 20th Century. Indeed it is ought really to go back into the nineteenth century, to the the music theatre of Wagner. Modernism was against the values of realism. The rejection of traditions and its reprise, incorporation, rewriting, recapitulation, revision and parody in new forms. It could be explained in a way that we are in control of our thoughts, we know what's good or bad. We have the intellect to make choices of our own. Modernism rejected the existence of compassionate and all-powerful Creator God. In a way they believed that God does not exist because everything is made out of nothing. Modernist thinking and views were simply out with the old and in with the new. They thought the modernism encompasses the activities and output of those who felt the traditional form of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social organizational and daily life were becoming old fashioned and outdated in today new economy,political and social world. As the world was emerging new approach had to be looked at and developed.

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is a 1941 drama film directed by and starring Orson Welles. The story of the film is based on examining the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane played by Welles. The character is based on the American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Welles's Own Life. Charles Foster Kane played by Orson Welles, anonymously wealthy media proprietor , living in Florida, Xanadu for the last years of his life with a 'No Trespassing' sign on his gate, dies in a bed while holding a snow globe which smashes while slipping from his dying hand and utters "Rosebud". Kane's death then becomes sensational news around the world. The newsreel reporter Jerry Thompson played by (William Alland) tries to find out about Kane's private life and in particular discovering the meaning behind his last word. Thompson gets in touch with Kane's second wife Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore) who runs her own club and now alcoholic but she refuses to tell him anything. He then approaches Kane's private banker wanting to find out more information about him. Flash backs reveal that Charles Foster Kane spent his childhood poverty. He lived in Colorado where his parents ran a boarding house. Kane was later sent by his mother to live with Walter Parks Thatcher and get educated. At the age of 25 Charles Foster Kane gains full control of his possession and he instantly enters the newspaper business by taking control of New York Inquire and also hires the best journalists around to work for him.

The Policy of Enclosure

William Cobbett was an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, who were born in Farnham, Surrey. His believes were to reform the parliament and abolishing rotten boroughs which would help to end the poverty of farm labourers.From brief reading of his biography I can pick out some of the motivation for Rural Rides, or at least explain some of the views which he expresses. His childhood certainly put him and his heart closer to the countryside. It may even explain why he continued to return to a country ruled by, in his eyes, an oppressive government as he called it. His attempts to expose the corruption of his quartermaster in the military show that, even at a young age, he was willing to fight for the right and put himself on the line in order to stand up for what he believed in. Despite the fact he was home schooled, he was able to teach English as a foreign language, and shows that he was skilled with words. It is likely that his father instilled his values and convictions in him as well. But Cobbett found that he was directly oppressed. His freedom of speech was stifled, he was imprisoned for speaking his mind, and his newspaper efforts were suffocated by taxes. Is it any wonder that, in Rural Rides, he speaks so angrily about the system which not only seems to be trying to ruin his adult life, but take away the setting of his childhood as well. But that is not to say that Rural Rides was written only to preserve his sense of nostalgia. Throughout the book, Cobbett’s main concern seems to be about the people. He describes some of the remaining workers as “walking skeletons”, suggesting that when farmers became gentleman, their labourers became slaves. Labourers used to live in with the farmers, but this stopped when farmers became wealthy thanks to the war and the Corn Laws, and enclosure ended the strip system which allowed local residents to grow their own crops. Enclosure provided food for the booming population, but the high prices and inability to farm for themselves crippled the people who were reliant on the old system.He believed of this continued to happen something similar to French Revolution will occur in England. However, in fear of revolution the government had two choices: either pay workers more so they can afford bread, or repeal the Corn Laws so they could afford bread. Cobbett criticizes the way the new system is widening the gap between the rich and the poor, still a hot topic of conversation today. This is part of his reputation of being a campaigner for the people. William Cobbett interest was in the rural people. The exodus from the countryside which concerned Cobbett caused in the overcrowding of the cities, the filthy workhouses and the exploitation of the downtrodden poor. Cobbett also discusses “tax-eaters”, people in highly paid, pointless jobs who take all from society and give nothing back, clogging up the broken system which is wholly supported by the efforts of the poor labourers. This wasteful and pointless clogging is exemplified in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case of ‘Bleak House’. The ‘fog’ which receives so much attention at the beginning of the book is a metaphor for the confused and overcomplicated system about which Cobbett complains. The reason why he complained was because the government was seen in his eyes as corrupt because it was only place and made up for the rich. Another point to be made was that he was extremely un-happy at seeing the majority of the countryside empty and he even argued that the population of England could not be growing, as he cannot see any people, but in fact it had doubled from 8.3 million to 17 million. The reason behind this was not a lot of people where interested in farming as him. Many would find jobs and opportunities in the big cities that would not have anything to do with farming. He thought that rapid industrialisation was going to destroy traditional ways of life. Cobbett states Enclosure is when a field would be divided up into common land, cattle would graze. In this landowners gave up enclosure, as they needed bigger fields in order to make way for new technology. This meant the farm workers had to go in search of other jobs that meant they had to migrate to the cities. Cobbett was not very happy about this so he jumped on a horse and went through the countryside of Southeast England and the Midlands in order to highlight the problems of rural England and how the relationship between landowner and worker had deteriorated. As I stated above he believed in workers being treated right and equal and he didn’t not believe how can they be treated as slave as they once where the same as owners. Cobbett continued publishing controversial material in the Political Register and was charged on many occasions, escaped conviction twice, once by fleeing the country and once by conducting his own defence so successfully the jury had no means to convict him. This is another example showing his opinion on the corrupt government and how strong was his opinion on them. William Cobbett overall view on policy of enclosure was going around cities and gathering different information. His views were that everyone should be treated equal no matter of the work you do. Cobbett believed in natural over technical creation.