This written thesis, transit, accompanies an exhibition by the same name and serves to contextualize the exhibit. The written portion begins with an inquiry into the nature of the contextualization itself, questioning the nature of the relationship between the written thesis, the exhibit, and the University which explicitly requires and connects the two, especially the ways that the written word as granted authority through an institution of higher education might undermine the exhibit’s intent to provoke thought into other forms of knowledge and other avenues of legitimacy than those presented by this institution. The thesis discusses the philosophic question sometimes called “the problem of reference” (how a word comes to refer to something in the world) as well as to the mystery of knowledge (how a human comes to know something). I discuss my own development of the artistic and poetic methods and concepts used in transit. I also inquire into the relationship between the conflicts in the cultures of the region, particularly during the time of the arrival of written language and capitalistic practices from Europe, and my struggle to understand and represent the ways that colonial concepts continue to dominate and frame our culture, even exhibits of art, such as transit, that work to cause thought, emotion, and reflection on other understandings of words, concepts, and knowledge through a physical de-stabilization of text and words.

[pt] A filosofia do direito se preocupa tradicionalmente com a análise de problemas interpretativos sob a perspectiva do juiz. Uma mudança de perspectiva pode ser benéfica: é possível utilizar de conceitos de filosofia da linguagem para aprimorar a redação de textos normativos, lançando nova luz sobre as questões filosóficas persistentes sobre a interpretação jurídica. O presente trabalho analisa os conceitos de ambiguidade e vagueza, em suas diversas formas, e oferece uma divisão entre tipos de vagueza instrumentalmente desejáveis e indesejáveis para a consecução dos valores perseguidos pelo direito. Após, é apresentado um argumento que pretende mostrar que textos normativos são atos de fala ilocucionários. Finalmente, o trabalho busca mostrar como a linguagem ordinária pode ser usada para aumentar a clareza de textos normativos. A hipótese de que essa prática pode gerar benefícios é testada e confirmada a partir de um questionário distribuído a juristas e não juristas. Na conclusão, argumenta-se que a aplicação das conclusões filosóficas anteriores a textos normativos pode aumentar o grau de efetividade e transparência do direito e resolver parte dos problemas de interpretação que permanecem não solucionados após décadas de debate filosófico, como ocorre com as discussões sobre intencionalismo e textualismo. / [en] Philosophy of law is traditionally preoccupied with the analysis of interpretative problems under the judge s point of view. A change in perspective might be beneficial: it is possible to use concepts from philosophy of language to enhance the redaction of normative texts, shedding new light on persistent philosophical questions about interpretation in law. The present thesis analyzes the concepts of ambiguity and vagueness in its multiple forms, offering a division between kinds of instrumentally desirable and undesirable vagueness to the values pursued by law. Afterwards, it presents an argument that intends to show that normative texts are ilocucionary speech acts. Finally, the thesis seeks to show ways in which ordinary language may be used to create clearer normative texts. The hypothesis that this practice may generate benefits is tested and confirmed by a questionnaire distributed to both lawyers and laymen. In its conclusion, it is argued that the application of these previous philosophical conclusions to normative texts may increase the degree of effectiveness and transparency of law and solve part of the problems of interpretation that remain unsolved after decades of philosophical debate, as happens with discussions about intentionalism and textualism.

Misgendering as a phenomenon is currently analyzed mainly from the perspective of gender studies, where it is generally considered a hostile and morally contestable practice. The aim of the presented work is the analysis of misgendering from a completely different position - misgendering as an issue of reference. This type of analysis brings novel insights both to the debates in the field of gender studies and to the debates concerning reference as such. As an interpretative framework I am using Récanati's account on mental files; I am using this conceptual base for evaluating whether given reference and/or coreference may be considered (un)successful. In this framework I examine several model situations, where misgendering takes place, and based on this inquiry I propose a two-level typology of the misgendering phenomenon. The first level takes place only at the perceptual level, where the speaker forms singular thoughts about an object she's perceiving. At the second level, which includes interpersonal reference, I distinguish between three types of misgendering - unintentional, considerate intentional, and hostile intentional misgendering. In the text I oppose the conception of misgendering as only a hostile practice, as it is inevitable or even desirable in certain situations from a reference...

The purpose of my thesis is to explore and assess recent efforts by Direct Reference Theorists to explain the phenomenon of empty names. Direct Reference theory is, roughly, the theory that the meaning of a singular term (proper name, demonstrative, etc.) is simply its referent. Certain sentences, such as negative existentials ("Santa does not exist"), and sentences in contexts of fiction ("Holmes lived on Baker Street"), present the following challenge to DR Theory: Given that the semantic value of a name is simply its referent, how are we to explain the significance and truth-evaluability of such sentences? There have been various approaches DR Theorists have taken to address this problem, including the Pragmatic Strategy, Pretense Theory, Abstract Object Theory, and the Metalinguistic Strategy. All of these views are analyzed and assessed according to their various strengths and weaknesses. It is concluded that, overall, a Metalinguistic Strategy, supplemented by the notion of pretense, best deals with negative existentials and normal-subject predicate occurrences of empty names, Abstract Object Theory best deals with empty names in meta-fictional contexts, and Pretense Theory best deals with empty names in object-fictional contexts.

No description available.

<p>This sentence is whatever truth is <em>not</em>. The subject of this master’s thesis is the power, influence, and solvability of the liar paradox. This paradox can be constructed through the application of a standard conception of truth and rules of inference are applied to sentences such as the first sentence of this abstract. The liar has been a powerful problem of philosophy for thousands of years, from its ancient origin (examined in Chapter One) to a particularly intensive period in the twentieth century featuring many ingenious but ultimately unsuccessful solutions from brilliant logicians, mathematicians and philosophers (examined in Chapter Two, Chapter Three, and Chapter Four). Most of these solutions were unsuccessful because of a recurring problem known as the liar’s revenge; whatever truth is <em>not</em> includes, as it turns out, not <em>just</em> falsity, but also meaninglessness, ungroundedness, gappyness, and so on. The aim of this master’s thesis is to prove that we should not consign ourselves to the admission that the liar is and always will just be a paradox, and thus unsolvable. Rather, I argue that the liar <em>is</em> solvable; I propose and defend a novel solution which is examined in detail in the latter half of Chapter Two, and throughout Chapter Three. The alternative solution I examine and endorse (in Chapter Four) is not my own, owing its origin and energetic support to Graham Priest. I argue, however, for a more qualified version of Priest’s solution. I show that, even if we accept a very select few true contradictions, it should <em>not</em> be assumed that inconsistency inevitably spreads throughout other sets of sentences used to describe everyday phenomena such as motion, change, and vague predicates in the empirical world.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

Depuis plus de trente ans, le Québec a pris position en faveur d’un mouvement de professionnalisation de l’enseignement. Ce choix se fonde principalement sur la volonté de moderniser les systèmes d’éducation grâce à la consolidation d’une expertise du travail enseignant. Elle a donc engendré toute une série de réformes visant à formaliser les pratiques des enseignants, à les appuyer sur les résultats de la recherche et à développer un code de pratiques responsables. Cependant, dans une perspective critique, ce processus de professionnalisation entre également dans le cadre plus large d’un processus de rationalisation étatique. Il exige de plus en plus des enseignants de faire preuve d’efficacité à tout prix, mais cette exigence ne tient pas compte de l’incertitude de l’action et des valeurs en jeu. Cette thèse vise à analyser, à partir d’une perspective critique, la conception de l’articulation entre la recherche et la pratique sous-jacente au mouvement de professionnalisation en vue de proposer une conception plus adéquate en regard de la réalité pratique: la traduction. Ce faisant, la thèse propose une réflexion sur le rôle transformateur du langage dans tout processus de transmission des connaissances. L’approche de la traduction s'inspire à la fois de la tradition herméneutique et de la critique poststructuraliste, et remet en question la conception du langage comme véhicule transparent de la pensée et des connaissances. À la lumière de ce cadre, je propose une analyse empirique (analyses discursive et sémiotique) des mécanismes de traduction qui assurent le passage du monde de la recherche vers le monde de l'enseignement. Cette partie repose sur une analyse comparative d’articles provenant de la revue Vie pédagogique, analyse qui se concentre sur les processus de traductions à l’œuvre dans trois concepts centraux du mouvement de professionnalisation : la pratique réflexive, la compétence et la collaboration. Elle met en lumière la manière dont le cadre actuel de la professionnalisation est réducteur, totalisant, et nie le caractère traductif du langage et de l’activité humaine. Je conclus avec une reconceptualisation de l'enseignement en tant que traduction et acte de profession de foi. / For over thirty years, Quebec has taken a stance in favour of a movement for the professionalization of teaching. This position is based primarily on the desire to modernize the educational system by reinforcing teaching skills, and it has spawned a whole series of reforms whose aim is to formalize teaching practices, to strengthen them on the basis of research results and to develop a code of responsible practices. Viewed from a critical perspective, this process of professionalization can be understood as being part of a wider process of state rationalization. Thus, the state increasingly demands that actors prove effective at all cost. This demand, however, does not take into account the reality of teaching, which is based in a large part on the uncertainty of action and of the values at stake. This dissertation attempts to analyze, from a critical view point, the conception of the relationship between research and practice underlying the professionalization movement, in order to offer an alternative conception - translation - that seems more appropriate in view of practical reality. In doing so, it reflects on the transformative role of language in processes of knowledge transfer. The "translation approach", which is the theoretical framework of our critical analysis, is informed by both the hermeneutic tradition and poststructuralist critique, and calls into question the notion that language is a transparent means for conveying thought and knowledge. In light of this framework, the thesis presents an empirical analysis (semiotic and discourse analysis) of the translation mechanisms that ensure the passage from the world of research to the world of teaching. Towards this end, various articles from the journal Vie pédagogique are submitted to a comparative analysis that focuses on the processes of translation at work in three central concepts of the professionalization movement – reflective practice, competence and collaboration – in order to highlight how the current framework of professionalization is reductive, totalizing, and how it denies the translational nature of language and of human activity. To conclude, the thesis offers a reconceptualization of teaching as translation and as an act of profession of faith.

Die vorliegende Arbeit skizziert eine materialistische Antwort auf die Frage, welche gesellschaftliche Bedeutung Sprache hat, in welchem Sinne sie Bedingung für und inwiefern sie in Abhängigkeit von gesellschaftlichen Strukturen ist. Den Rahmen bildet die materialistische Geschichtsauffassung und Gesellschaftstheorie. Sie wird zunächst in ihrer Ausarbeitung durch Marx und Engels ohne Verbindung mit einer entwickelten materialistischen Sprachtheorie eingeführt. Es folgt ein Gang durch sprachtheoretische Fragestellungen, die unterhalb der gesellschaftstheoretischen Ebene angesiedelt sind: Wittgensteins Auffassung der Sprache als Regelfolgepraxis wird als Idealismuskritik des Abbildungsparadigmas in der Sprachphilosophie gedeutet, anhand der Kulturhistorischen Schule der russischen Psychologie wird Sprache als Orientierungsmittel und materielle Basis komplexerer Zwecksetzungen bestimmt und schließlich an Brandoms pragmatistischer Rekonstruktion der logischen Gliederung der Sprache die Stellung innersprachlicher Regelstrukturen diskutiert. Die gesellschaftliche Ebene wird im letzten Kapitel anhand von materialistischen Gesellschaftstheorien der Sprache (Gramsci), der Ideologie (Projekt Ideologietheorie) und des Diskurses (Fairclough) wieder aufgenommen und mit den Resultaten der vorangegangenen Kapitel vermittelt. Dabei wird die zuvor entwickelte Bestimmung der Sprache als Mittel der Orientierung und Zwecksetzung im Verhältnis zu nichtsprachlichen gesellschaftlichen Strukturen und ihrer historischen Besonderung entfaltet. / The text provides an outline of a materialist answer to what significance language has in relation to society, in which sense it is a condition for and in how far it is dependent on social structures. The materialist notion of history and materialist social theory serve as theoretical framework. They are first introduced as developed by Marx and Engels without any relation to a full-fledged materialist language theory. In a second step problems of language theory below the level of social theory are tackled: Wittgenstein‘s concept of language as a praxis of rule-following is interpreted as a critique of the idealism that informs the representation paradigm in language philosophy; following the cultural-historical psychology language is defined as means of orientation and material basis for complex goal setting; Brandom‘s pragmatist reconstruction of the logical structure of language serves as background for discussing the status of immanent rule structures of language. The social level is then taken up again and mediated with the results of the discussion of sub-social language theories by drawing on materialist social theories of language (Gramsci), of ideology (Projekt Ideologietheorie), and of discourse (Fairclough). The definition of language as a means of orientiation and goal setting is developed in its relation to non-language social structures and their historical specificity.

Die Dissertation prüft das Potential von Fines Semantischem Relationismus für einen kognivistischen Ansatz der Sprache und des Geistes. Hauptziel ist es, den Semantischen Relationismus als einzig angemessene Inhalstheorie für die Gedankensprache zu verteidigen, indem die Vorzüge gegenüber den wichtigsten Alternativen, dem Referentialismus und dem Fregeanismus, aufgezeigt werden. Die Arbeit soll zeigen, dass nur der Semantische Relatinismus alle Varianten des Frege Puzzles für die Gedankensprache lösen kann, und zwar in einerWeise, die die erheblichen Schwierigkeiten der alternativen Theorien umgeht. Das Ergebnis ist sowohl eine Verteidigung des Sematischen Relationismus als auch eine Bestätigung der Tragbarkeit der Hypothese einer Gedankensprache. Auf Basis der Gedankensprache und einer relationistischen Semantik stellt die Arbeit zudem eine neue Theorie der Propositionen vor, die sich erheblich von allen bestehenden Alternativen, inbegriffen der von Fine, unterscheidet. Das Endergebnis ist eine Auffassung von Propositionen als syntaktisch strukturierten mentalen Repräsentationen, die Sätze in der Gedankensprache darstellen, sowie Träger von Inhalten, die durch ihren semantischen Inhalt typindividuiert sind. Ein Kernziel der Arbeit ist es, die Vorteile dieser Auffassung gegenüber klassischen und modernen Alternativen aufzuzeigen. Die Arbeit entwickelt ihr Gesamtergebnis durch die Aufarbeitung von drei aktuellen, eng miteinander verbundenen Debatten. Erstens, das Problem, dass Freges Puzzle für Gedanken und überzegungen darstellt, insbesondere in Form von Kripkes Puzzle. Zweitens, das Problem der Typindividuierung von Symbolen in der Gedankensprache. Drittens, die Debatte um die Ontologie von Begriffen und Propositionen. Indem eine vielversprechende relationistische Lösung in diesen Problembereichen entwickelt wird, bietet die Arbeit zusätzliche Bestätigung für Fines semantische Theorie durch eine erhebliche Erweiterung ihres Anwendungsbereichs. / The thesis evaluates the potential of Fine’s Semantic Relationism for a cognitivist approach to language and the mind. The main aim is to champion Semantic Relationism as the only adequate theory of content for the Language of Thought by bringing out the benefits of the theory over its main rivals, Referentialism and Fregeanism. It seeks to show that only Semantic Relationism can address all the variants of Frege’s Puzzle for the Language of Thought, and that it can do so in a way that avoids the substantial difficulties that beset other semantic theories. The main outcome is at the same time a vindication of the adopted semantic theory and a confirmation of the viability of the Language of Thought hypothesis. The thesis also offers a new theory of propositions on the basis of the Language of Thought and a Relationist semantics that differs significantly from all such presently available theories, including Fine’s. The final result is a theory of propositions as syntactically structured mental representations, which are sentences in the Language of Thought, that are content bearers individuated by their semantic content as specified by Semantic Relationism. A major objective of the thesis is to highlight the advantages of this view over both classical and current alternatives. The thesis develops its overall view by offering solutions in three closely related ongoing debates. First, the challenge posed by Frege’s Puzzle for thought and belief, Kripke’s Puzzle notably included, secondly, the problem about the proper type-individuation of Language of Thought symbol tokens, and thirdly, the debate about the ontological nature of concepts and propositions. By developing a promising Relationist response to these problems, the thesis also provides additional support to Fine’s semantic theory by considerably expanding its scope of application.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T20:21:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodrigo Dugnani.pdf: 21889289 bytes, checksum: bb14be514d78b7523b9ee2c1bed07474 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-27 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This thesis claims that the values from the neoliberal discourse on the Brazilian (state and private) pensions are materialized on the newspapers: O Estado de S. Paulo (OESP), Folha de S. Paulo (FSP) e O Globo (OG). The identification and comprehension of such neoliberal values on the journalistic texts and on the newspaper advertisements contribute to the understanding of the relation between the aforementioned newspapers and the neoliberal discourse regarding the need for a new Brazilian State Pension reform that would involve, in general terms and under a market logic, a reduction of the benefits offered by the State Pension and, thus, opening space for the development of several kinds of private pensions. This is a key understanding for comprehending the market interests in the appropriation of more financial resources, which are going to be directed to the ambit of the financial globalization and of the implications of such process for the working class that daily lives the dismantling of the State Pension in Brazil and worldwide by the conservative remodeling proposed by the neoliberals. In order to achieve the objective of this research, which is to identify, analyze and interpret the values from the neoliberal discourse regarding the Brazilian pensions that are on the newspapers: OESP, FSP and OG, this thesis relies on the Bakhtin circle s philosophy of language and on the Dialogic Discourse Analysis (DDA) formulated from a Bakhtinian standpoint. The theoretical and methodological framework grounded on such perspective demands the analysis of both the journalistic texts that constitute the corpus of this research and the texts that are not necessarily on those newspapers pages, but which dialogues with them by addressing the neoliberalism and its relation with the social security, the Brazilian pensions and the news organizations approached by this thesis. The corpus of this research is composed by journalistic texts (news, press notes, opinion articles, editorials and interviews) and newspaper advertisements regarding the Brazilian pensions, which were published from 1st Oct. of 2010 to 31st March of 2011, i.e. in a period that comprehends the run-up to the elections and the beginning of Roussef s presidential term, by the newspapers: OESP, FSP and OG. The dialogic discourse analysis conducted here enabled the identification and comprehension of three traditional values from the neoliberalism in relation to the Brazilian pensions, which are: the need for a tightening of the fiscal stance in order to balance the budget of the Brazilian state pension; the meritocracy related to the private pension; and, the State s inefficiency in dealing with the pension system / Esta pesquisa defende a tese de que valores do discurso neoliberal sobre a previdência brasileira se materializam nas páginas dos jornais O Estado de S. Paulo (OESP), Folha de S. Paulo (FSP) e O Globo (OG). A identificação e compreensão desses valores neoliberais em matérias jornalísticas e anúncios publicitários contribui para o entendimento da relação entre os jornais acima citados e o discurso neoliberal no debate sobre a necessidade de uma nova reforma da Previdência Social brasileira, que, em termos gerais, sob a lógica do mercado, envolveria a redução da proteção do sistema previdenciário público, abrindo espaço para o desenvolvimento de diversas formas de previdência privada. Esse entendimento é fundamental para a compreensão dos interesses de mercado na apropriação de mais recursos a serem lançados no circuito da mundialização financeira e das consequências desse processo para a classe trabalhadora, que, a cada dia, presencia o desmonte dos sistemas de proteção social no Brasil e no Mundo mediante a reestruturação conservadora neoliberal. Para cumprir o objetivo a que se propõe identificar, analisar e interpretar os valores do discurso neoliberal sobre a previdência brasileira nos jornais OESP, FSP e OG esta tese se apoia na filosofia da linguagem do Círculo de Bakhtin e na Análise Dialógica do Discurso (ADD) advinda dessa filosofia. A teoria-metodologia daí decorrente exige tanto a análise dos materiais dos jornais que compõe o corpus de pesquisa, quanto daquilo que não está necessariamente nesse material, mas que com ele dialoga, sendo que, no caso desta pesquisa, isso envolve o neoliberalismo e a sua relação com a seguridade social, a previdência brasileira e as empresas jornalísticas em questão. O corpus de análise desta pesquisa é composto por matérias jornalísticas (notícias, notas, reportagens, artigos, editoriais e entrevistas) e anúncios publicitários sobre a previdência no Brasil publicados nos jornais impressos OESP, FSP e OG entre 1º de outubro de 2010 e 31 de março de 2011, período compreendido entre as vésperas do 1º turno das eleições presidenciais e o início do primeiro mandato da presidenta Dilma Rousseff. A análise dialógica do discurso aqui promovida possibilitou a identificação e compreensão de três valores tradicionais do neoliberalismo em diálogo com a previdência brasileira, a saber: a necessidade de rigor na política fiscal para equilibrar as contas da Previdência Social; a meritocracia associada à previdência privada; e a ineficiência da ação do Estado no sistema previdenciário