Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2007.

Zugl.: Braunschweig, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2008

This work retrieves an conception of musical semantics in the work of Vladimír Karbusický. It consists of three parts. The first one focused on Karbusický's works Beethovenův list "An die unsterbliche Geliebte" a jeho hudební dílo [Beehtoven's letter "An die unsterbliche Geliebte" and his musical work] from the year 1969 and Podstata umění [The essence of art] published in the same year, which presents characteristics of four components of arts situated into an quadripolar ontological model of arts. This model is motivated by the structuralism of Jan Mukařovský and by an asemantic nature of musical forms. The poles of this model represent a subject, an object, a material and a society, and create a web of relations between each other. This way they create a field of interaction governed by dynamical and energetic forces. The respective components arise from the relation of a subject to the other poles, and they are divided into semantic and asemantic ones. Among the semantic components we put a picture, an expression and a symbol; the asemantic components are defined by a game and a construction. The second part deals with Karbusický's critical attitudes to a theory of reflection, to an application of a one-sided semiotics to music, and to considering music and language the same. The theory of...

This paper applies a post-structuralist literary framework when looking at the philosophical implications of William’s Mkufya’s novel Ziraili na Zirani. The analysis focuses on a free-verse poem per-formed by a black bird in hell. Moreover, there is a focus on the different genre forms at play, such as free-verse poetry and the novel, and an acknowledgement that an understanding of the text relies upon a consideration of these different genre conventions. Ultimately the paper shows how a reading of the text as it is presented in the novel, as a performance, demonstrates a realisation of the different genre conventions at play, thus taking their significance onto a different plain of analysis. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the application of a post-structuralist framework and the various contributions this theoretical model can make to a reading of the poem, notably an emphasis on the resistance to fixed meaning in favour of instability. This results in an exposition of the relevance of a post-structuralist literary framework to Mkufya’s critical reflection upon epistemology as it is portrayed in the black bird’s enigmatic performance, and the novel as a whole.

This paper applies a post-structuralist literary framework when looking at the philosophical implications of William’s Mkufya’s novel Ziraili na Zirani. The analysis focuses on a free-verse poem per-formed by a black bird in hell. Moreover, there is a focus on the different genre forms at play, such as free-verse poetry and the novel, and an acknowledgement that an understanding of the text relies upon a consideration of these different genre conventions. Ultimately the paper shows how a reading of the text as it is presented in the novel, as a performance, demonstrates a realisation of the different genre conventions at play, thus taking their significance onto a different plain of analysis. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the application of a post-structuralist framework and the various contributions this theoretical model can make to a reading of the poem, notably an emphasis on the resistance to fixed meaning in favour of instability. This results in an exposition of the relevance of a post-structuralist literary framework to Mkufya’s critical reflection upon epistemology as it is portrayed in the black bird’s enigmatic performance, and the novel as a whole.

The thesis deals with the question of interpretation of narrative works of fiction in regard to what the text refers to (what is usually termed reference). On the work of three differently focused authors (Frege, Ortega y Gasset, Shklovsky) it studies reference pushed aside as a thing unimportant or even impossible in art. Structuralism, developing mainly in France after 1960, supplants these questions with exploring the literalness of literary works and their inner relations, allowing narratology to arise. Subsequently, Paul Ricoeur aims for the synthesis of structuralism and hermeneutics. Approaching literary work as discourse, he distinguishes the "what" and "what about" of works, following Frege's distinction between sense and reference (meaning), while reference of a work is not descriptive. In Time and Narrative he uses the term refiguration instead of reference and emphasizes the temporal aspect of literary work and its reception. The thesis is closed with a brief interpretation of Budapest, a novel by Chico Buarque (2003).

The work "Modelling the human approach to world" is part of the mutlidisciplinary field of informatics which deals with production and use of information systems in enterprises and other communities. It contributes to its development in the area of human-machine relationship and communicating information. At present information systems (IS) are used for collecting, distributing, storing, processing and conveying information. Their components are hardware (machines) and software. Without information systems today's work with information wouldn't be possible. People remain in spite of intensive implementation of information technologies the main element for companies' operation. Information technologies help man, cannot replace him however. To understand the role of information technologies it is important to be aware of the difference between man and machine (computer) information processing from which we can deduce the implications for business operation. The computer is only able to work with a reality model prepared by a human being. Reality is in information systems represented by means of signs. Even though we can understand the information system as a tool similar to classical tools (typing machine, filing cabinet etc.), there is a difference, because these tools don't exist as physical objects, but only as signs. The symbolic nature of information systems didn't interest researchers in the past very much, but now it increases. The first reason can be found in the massive implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT), which calls for intelligibility of their representation; the second reason can be found in the fact that computers are used as media with functions similar to textbooks, letters, newspapers, telephones, films, where the importance of semiotics has already been recognized. The advancement of hardware requires from software developers abilities similar to professional artists. The third reason lies in the fact that production processes are more and more controlled by computers. Cooperating people must rely on symbols mediated by computers (Andersen, 1997). IS are more complex and important is their influence on people on many levels and through many means. Structuralism may be of some help as it studied similar phenomena in the first half of the 20th century. In the first part of my work I described the differences between human and computer information processing, in the second part I analysed the modelling theories which take into account the human approach and at the end I deduced general conclusions for the relationship between man and computer in information system and suggested some recommendations on how to improve their relationship and make human understanding and use of information in information system easier. One of the researchers who studied the difference between man and machine was Hubert Dreyfus. He came to the conclusion that there is a principle difference between man and machine. He identified some typical situations where man and machine differ: Rule following, bodily existence, situations, pattern recognition etc. Dreyfus' analysis will be supplemented with the analysis of public space, intentionality and language. I don't want to present a complete description of human approach to world, I rather sketch some key points to clarify the difference between man and machine. From the analysis of man and machine two conclusions emerge: on the one hand proposal how to analyse and propose information system which would better connect subjective and objective aspects; on the other hand importance of IS integration into the business culture and the whole context of human work. As a suitable approach appears in compliance with P. Ricoeur structuralism and its analysis of narrativity. In the area of IS development there are four so called socio-technical theories which try to incorporate some principles of human approach to world into their modelling procedures and balance the superiority of technical view on the human computer interaction. The main common feature of these theories lies in the emphasis on the importance of human factor for organisations (they consider organisations social systems). The role of technical equipment is seen in the support of human activities. They are called Language Action Perspective, specifically methodology DEMO, Organisational Semiotics, Theory of Organised Activity and Human Interaction Management. DEMO methodology focuses on communication which is analysed by means of four axioms based on the language act theory. The theory differentiates between locution, illocution and perlocution. Locution deals with the proposition's content, illocution is related to the intention which we communicate the proposition with and perlocution contains effects in the addressee. From these three perspectives production and communication acts are analysed. Organizational semiotics deals with the semiotic aspect of human communication. It uses a six-stage semiotic ladder with physical, empirical, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic and social level. On all these levels communication and its signs are analysed. On the first three levels machines can be used, on the next three levels the human work with information is carried out and machines don't help there much. Organisational semiotics emphasizes the social level where organisational, social and cultural norms play an important role. Theory of organized activity is based on the theory of units which the group has in common. The theory divides the world on actors and things. For the activity to start both these elements must be present. Typical features of actors are interest and responsibility. The human interaction management tries to modify the proposal and functioning of information systems in order to respect the principles of human work. The basic argument of human interaction management is that most processes where people are involved is in instant change which cannot be governed by rules independent of the process participants. Flexibility is necessary for success. K.H. Broninski, the author of Management of Human Interaction, calls for support for mental work a transformation of information into knowledge. He proposes a procedure structuring work. It consist of five parts: research, evaluation, analysis, constrain, task. Another piece of knowledge of the Human interaction management is that a big proportion of human work has small concrete results, and cannot be quantified. However time spent on researching, comparing, evaluating, generally information processing and their transformation into knowledge, is a substantial part of a worker cooperating with colleagues and other people. It is better for employees to have supportive rather than directive leadership, as people are individuals. People do things in different times, in different ways, on the basis of communication with others, according to the state of resources and their mood. They do what they consider most appropriate in given situation. Continual process change must be possible and it is necessary to support it. Human activities are creative, exploratory and loosely structured. The socio-technical theories neither explicitly address the difference between man and machine nor try to unify their perspectives organically. However they show some content elements which are important for human beings. When considering the human approach to world we cannot be limited to a set of perceptions where man and machine differ. We should consider their arrangement which allows for new ways of understanding reality. The synthesis of the elements can be carried out only when the elements are linked together into a structure, e.g. a plot. Another problem lies in the necessity to consider time. Progressive development and its modalities constitute integral part of a homogenous stylistic form. Two rationalities are at work here; the one understands the world in its unity mediated by a form, best of all and most generally by a narrative; the other systemizes the first understanding and transforms it onto a syntactic level. The modelling techniques use the second syntactic rationality; we can reach it only in time, however. Stories have many advantages in comparison to other ways of conveying information: aims, causes, chances, agents are unified in time and space into a plot. Originally different elements are unified in the plot. They seem accidental; however they gain necessity in the plot. Other important aspects are source of information, narrator, rhythm, repetition and focalization. These elements can be separated on three levels: text, plot, fabula. They concentrate on different elements and their relations. We will use the results of work of the structuralist J. Greimas and his theory of actants suggesting which role can be considered in narrative information conveying. His semiotic square is a method of understanding context elements. Analysis of the elements of narrative which are the results of structuralist research cannot substitute the narrative understanding; we can only approximate it and explain it in further details. We encounter a creative act which cannot be reduced on rules and formalized. That is why a creative approach of the author is necessary in the development of IS. The conclusion achieved in the analysis of differences between human and machine that human understanding and behaviour is not completely formalizable was found in our attempt to use the structuralist approach on design and functioning of information systems. The interconnection of objective world of machines with the subjective human understanding is possible in a story created by a creative human being able to ensure organic and natural unity.

Inaug.-Diss.: Philosophische Fakultät: Konstanz: 1973. _ Bibliogr. p. 513-518.

The thesis deals with the way of using the term postmodernism by the Czech-language theatre critique. In the first part I decided to discuss the thesis' subject in the context of other languages' schools of thought. I identified two main possible ways by which philosophers from abroad define the term "postmodernism" in its general meaning. In the first case (e.g. Charles Jencks) I on one hand found out that the term defined as postmodernism can be easily applied considering art -and therefore the theatre as well- but on the other hand I also found that the term itself merge with the meaning of modernism. In the second case (e.g. Jacques Derrida) I came to a conclusion that even though the definition of postmodernism does not merge with definition of modernism, it can be applied only with great difficulties in the cases of theatre and of fine art. Subsequently, I tried to illustrate the way the three approaches manifested themselves into the Czech-language discussion about postmodernism. In the following parts of the thesis I adhered to the theatrical issues more strictly. On the basis of the analyses of two so-called postmodern theatre performances made a ground for the theoretical approach to the means of expression considered as postmodern. (The terminology I used is the one deriving from the work of Otakar Zich and from the Czech structuralism.) In the conclusion of the theatre-theoretic part of my thesis I took the view that the means of expression used in the so-called postmodern theatre productions do not differ in their very nature from the modern ones; that there are different requirements of viewer's reception in the postmodern performaces though. In the very end of my work I considered the problems that appear with the direct transfer of Jacques Derrida's philosophy to the theatre.

Present thesis attempts to lay foundations of interpretation of Deleuzeʼs project of transcendental empiricism as a transcendental critical philosophy which develops itself upon the critique of traditional metaphysics founded on representative thought. For understanding this project it is essential to grasp its relation to Kantʼs critical philosophy. Present thesis focuses mainly on the importance of Maïmonʼs critique of Kant and his suggested revision of Kantʼs philosophy for the Deleuzeʼs project. In the first chapter, critique of representative metaphysics and its consequences for Deleuzeʼs transcendental empiricism is pursued. Second chapter deals with the character of differential transcendental organization which Deleuzeʼs project develops. This organization will be interpreted as a symbolic structural space constantly changing in time, which represents Deleuzeʼs "philosophical interpretation" of Riemannʼs conception of continuous manifold. Third chapter will show the consistency of this unconscious transcendental space with our phenomenal subjective perspective and will sketch an explanation of its genesis through such transcendental organization.