Sign, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor; Definitions and Distinctions 1
Dec 25, 2015
Sign, Scheme, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor; Definitions and Distinctions
Definition
What is a definition in philosophy? Philosophy is essentially a discussion, a form of
discourse. Definitions are meaningful within particular forms of discourses.
Example: The Soul
General (intro)
The Soul in Pre-Socratic philosophy
The Soul by Aristotle
The Soul in the Old Testament
The Soul in the New Testament
Definition must be:
Clear
Adequate
Reasonable
Help to understand, instructive
Intuitively appealing
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Sign, Scheme, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor; Definitions and Distinctions
Distinction
Distinctions are defined within a class or a broader category.
The tiger is differe t fro the wolf, ut elo gs to the sa e lass of a als .
The more different by nature are the objects, the harder it is to talk about
differences.
Examples:
How is a tomato different from a tiger?
How is the Polar star different from a tiger?
How is the constitution of Belgium different from the new moon?
Let us defi e the lass to whi h all our e tities elo g …
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Signs, schemes, allegories, symbols, metaphors belong to the same category.
They are all forms of a certain type of semantic relationship, which is called
EXPRESSION or REPRESENTATION:
Expression: A expresses B
Representation: A represents B
A = signifier; B = signified
A represents B This statue represents a war hero.
A is B p is i slavic languages.
A signifies B A cross on a building signifies a church.
A symbolizes B A dove symbolizes peace.
A means B This road sign means a sharp turn in the road.
A reminds of B The photo of my deceased father reminds me
of him.
In general: A causes B to come to mind
B = a eal thi g , hat is ea t, a meaning
A = a sign of B OR an allegory of B OR a symbol of B (a visual image)
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A B
letter stands for sound
crescent signifies Islam
green cross is a sig of … pharmacy
acter acts as character
portrait represents person
ring symbolizes marriage
image Is a allego of … idea or object
I see … I hea A (B) comes to mind
image meaning
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Sign
A minimal unit of meaning
Purely conventional
Arbitrary in nature
No esthetical value, only the meaning matters
Signs themselves do not stir emotions nor attract attention
Likes and dislikes do not apply to a sign itself
Meaning is elicited immediately if a sign is known
A sign is only what it means
Meaning clearly dominates
A sig is a t a spa e t i age: ou i d s e e i ediatel sees the meaning behind it.
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Schema, scheme, schematic, chart
A structured collection of signs
Its message is expressed in a certain language
Schematics do not conjure emotions
Likes and dislikes do not apply to a schemata itself
A meaning is elicited immediately if signs are known
A schematic is to a sign what a sentence is to a word
Meaning clearly dominates
Sketch is schematic:
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Allegory
A is a thi g i its o ights, hi h a ts out B
A is o plete a d, usuall , eautiful A is al a s e p essl diffe e t f o B
A o ks as a su stitute o a e i de of B
A has aestheti alue a d att a ts atte tio
One can like or dislike it = accept or reject an allegory
A conjures e otio s a d alls atte tio to B
Allegory seems artificial and may provoke irony
The e is a te sio et ee A a d B
The ea i g is hidde a d has to e elu idated
i age A do i ates the ea i g B
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Sy ol = AB
A a d B a e 2 elated thi gs
Not A o B ut AB ! AB is NOT o e tio al A ep ese ts B di e tl
The li k AB is o ga i , atu al …
…. deepl ooted, i he e t, ste ious
…. e e mystical, sacred
Symbols conjure deep, strong emotions
They can provoke love, hatred, awe,etc
Sometimes, people are ready to die or kill for symbols
Not A o B ut AB do i ate. Portraits may have a symbolic quality:
The History of a Symbol, The Example of the Eucharist
Early centuries A.D.: The symbol as a real connection
Renaissance: The real connection understood as physical
Mode : The s ol as a u eal , i agi ed o e tio
Co te po a : Not eal, just s oli ……..
So, what happened?
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Symbolic vs causal relationship
Huizinga: a symbol is a short circuit in the brain.
A causal relation is real; symbolic is unreal.
-> s oli thi ki g is a thi g of the past …
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A B