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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
121

"You can only claim your yard and not a country": exploring context, discourse and practices of cosmopolitanism amongst African migrants in Johannesburg

Haupt, Iriann 24 November 2010 (has links)
Adopting a social constructionist methodology, this research explores the contexts, discourse and practices of cosmopolitanism amongst African migrants in Johannesburg, South(ern) Africa’s economic hub and top migrant destination. The research argues that the central function of this cosmopolitanism is to serve as a counter-narrative to an exclusive South African nationalism and as an expression of a more general struggle to overcome the unwarranted limitations of being born in a country which does not provide enough opportunities. On the basis of both qualitative and quantitative data collected between 2006 and 2008 in Johannesburg, this study challenges the still widely held assumption that cosmopolitanism is not for those whose mobility is ‘unprivileged’ and argues that this assumption becomes particularly unsustainable once situated in the contexts of Africa’s unachieved nation-states, hyper-diverse urban centres and multiple alternative systems of belonging and identity. Instead, this study argues that it is exactly these conditions that have actually allowed a particular type of cosmopolitanism to emerge rather than having suppressed it. The three empirical chapters explore how migrants’ counter-narrative to discourses of nationalism, exclusion and pathologisation of migration constructs notions of mobility and space in particularly cosmopolitan, de-territorialised terms; generates a concept of cultural diversity and the engagement with the Other as normal, enriching and unproblematic; and establishes a more inclusive and multifaceted cosmopolitan social order that is claimed to be morally superior to that of nationalism. Finally, the conclusion provides some pointers towards three central imperatives for future research on cosmopolitanism: firstly, the imperative to address the present disconnect between cosmopolitanism from above and from below – and as part of that the lack of attention to empirical forms of cosmopolitanism; secondly, the importance of paying more attention to the social, cultural and economic contexts in which forms of empirical cosmopolitanism are embedded; and, thirdly, the need to overcome the three ‘isms’ that the majority of research on cosmopolitanism and migration remains stunted by: ethnocentrism, class-centrism and, somewhat ironically, methodological nationalism. The study argues that if we want to know more about how individuals become cosmopolitan agents of change and reformulate social orders ‘from below’, we should begin to treat migrant populations, and particularly those who move within and across the African continent, as a crucial source of knowledge about how to negotiate both the uncertainties and the opportunities that are intrinsic to more de-territorialised, post-national forms of social organisation and identity.
122

A critical analysis of the discourses on Muslims in the media before and after the events of September 11, 2001

Ebrahim, Hanifa 06 August 2008 (has links)
This research explores the discourses of Muslims that had emerged in The Star, Daily News, Cape Argus and New York Times before and after the bombings of the New York City’s World Trade Centre Towers on September 11, 2001. This was a qualitative study that analysed a total of 176 articles from the various newspapers from July 2001 to November 2001. A discourse analytic approach was used as the method of analysis within a broad depth hermeneutic framework. The depth hermeneutic approach emphasises the analysis of the socio-historical context in order to understand how certain constructions of Muslims had historically emerged. Therefore, this study traces the construction of Muslims and the media historically. The results indicate that the dominant discourses of Muslims that have emerged are that ‘Muslims are fundamentalists’, ‘Muslims are violent’, ‘ Muslims cannot be trusted’ and the depiction of Muslims in conflicting terms in relation to the West, namely: ‘Muslims versus the Western World’. The various sub-themes that had emerged are as follows; ‘Muslims are a force to be feared,’ ‘Islam teaches violence’ and that ‘Muslims are inhumane and uncivilised. The ideological representation of Muslims within the texts as the out-group when compared to the West is emphasised through these discourses. A comparison of the various newspapers portrayal of Muslims in the media before and after September 11, 2001, shows that the Cape Argus depicts a more positive representation of Muslims in both instances. The findings reveal that Daily News, The Star and the New York Times present a more negative view of Muslims before and after the events of September 11, 2001.
123

Courage in leadership: a narrative study

Nuckchady, Girish January 2016 (has links)
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Johannesburg, November 2015 / The purpose of this research is to explore the role of courage in leadership. A review of the relevant literature showed that leadership has been widely studied but is still not well understood while courage has scarcely been studied and is still diversely defined. It has been found that courage rarely has a place in leadership and management frameworks. Leaders in Mauritius were interviewed on their experiences of courage. As this research is of exploratory nature, a qualitative design was adopted and unstructured interviews were used. A Narrative Analysis of the transcripts was carried out in a two-step process: Stories were extracted from the interview transcripts in a deductive manner using a three-dimensional approach consisting of personal, social and temporal dimensions. The stories were then inductively analysed to derive meaning from them using thematic and performative analysis. This research has three main contributions. First, the manifestation of courage follows a cycle of four stages, starting from the Trigger Stage, followed by the Barrier Stage, Thoughts & Actions Stage and Ending Stage. Throughout the life of the leader, one cycle feeds the next cycle and so on. Furthermore, the contexts under which courage were displayed were: Change, Pro-Active Vision, Identity Tensions and Response. Second, the following drivers of courage were identified: the external drivers Greater Cause, Support, and Sacrificing Something, and the internal disposition courage drivers Positive & Forward Looking, Self-Consciousness, Calculated Risk-taking, Values & Beliefs, Emotional Balance & Control, Prior Experience, Perseverance & Focus, and Ownership & Independency. The internal courage drivers activated in the transition between the Trigger and Barrier stages were equivalent to “Courage to Be” while the external courage drivers activated between the Barrier and Thoughts & Actions stages were equivalent to “Courage to Act”. Furthermore, it was found that leadership skills act as mere facilitators of courage and courage drivers need to be present to drive courageous acts. It was also seen that some of the drivers of courage are very close to qualities of authentic leadership. Third, the research has made a methodological contribution in terms of the development of a systematic approach to the use of narrative analysis in management research. The implications from the findings are that courage development cannot be excluded from leadership development and can start in schools as well as in organisations as an on-going process, and that the methods of analysis developed in this research can be applied. / MB2016
124

Fenômeno Sherlock : a recepção social do gênero seriado /

Paglione, Marcela Barchi. January 2019 (has links)
Orientador: Luciane de Paula / Banca: Maria da Penha Casado Alves / Banca: Marina Célia Mendonça / Banca: Valdemir Miotello / Banca: Maria do Rosário de Fátima Valencise Gregolin / Resumo: A presente pesquisa centra-se no gênero discursivo seriado, com fundamentação teórica calcada na filosofia da linguagem do Círculo B.M.V. (Vauthier, 2010), a fim de refletir sobre a construção arquitetônica desse gênero, o que engloba sua produção e circulação social na esfera de atividade midiática, além de sua recepção autoral pelos fãs. Para tal, tem-se como objeto as respostas dos fãs do seriado Sherlock (2010) criadas a partir do gatilho da falsa morte do detetive durante o hiato entre a segunda e a terceira temporadas. O cerne da pesquisa encontra-se nas formas de recepção do gênero, principalmente a narrativa transmídia (JENKINS, 2006) como concretização da escuta-ativa dos fãs em relação ao episódio-enunciado, pois esses transcendem as barreiras do seriado televisivo em diferentes gêneros, como blogs, fanfics e fanarts ao ponto de tornarem-no um fenômeno na Rede. Tem-se como objetivo geral analisar a arquitetônica do gênero seriado, seu funcionamento em sociedade enquanto fenômeno cultural transmidiático. Para tal, será analisada a recepção dos fãs como produção autoral por meio de seu estilo, bem como a inserção de Sherlock e do seriado em meio ao grande tempo da cultura, como concretização do chamado cronotopo etéreo. Sendo assim, analisar-se-á os enunciados dos fãs enquanto produção respondente ao seriado Sherlock, ativa compreensão responsiva em sociedade, a qual (re)significa os enunciados do gênero nas interações midiáticas. Espera-se que esse trabalho possa con... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This research centers itself in the TV series discoursive genre with theoretical foundation in the philosophy of language of the B.M.V. Circle (Vauthier, 2010), to be able to reflect over its architectonic construction, which involves its production and social circulation in the media sphere of activity, as well as its authorial reception by their fans. For that, it has as object the fans response to the TV series Sherlock (2010) created after the trigger of the detective's fake death during the hiatus between second and third seasons. The main of the research is in the ways of the genre's social reception, specially the transmedia narrative (Jenkins, 2006) as a concretization of the fans' active-listening in relation to the episode-utterance, because these transcend the barriers of the televised genre in different digital genres, such as blogs, fanfics and fanarts, to the point of becoming a phonomenom on the Web. The main objective is to analyze the architectonic of the TV series genre, specifically Sherlock, as a transmidiatic and cultural phenomenom. For this purpuse, the reception of the fans will be analyzed as an authorial production through their style, as well as the insertion of Sherlock and the TV series in the great time of culture, as an accomplishment of what we call the ethereal chronotope. Hence, the fans's utterances will be analyzed as a respondent production to the Sherlock series, active and responsive comprehension in society, which (re)signifies the utte... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor
125

Discurso e imagem : transformações do cânone visual nas mídias digitais /

Mazzola, Renan Belmonte. January 2014 (has links)
Orientador: Maria do Rosário Gregolin / Banca: Pedro Navarro / Banca: Denise Witzel / Banca: Luzmara Curcino / Banca: Nilton Milanez / Resumo: Com vistas a refletir sobre as transformações do cânone visual nas mídias digitais a partir das relações entre discurso e imagem, fundamentamo-nos nos postulados da Análise do Discurso, derivada dos trabalhos do grupo em torno de Michel Pêcheux e de contribuições da obra de Michel Foucault, e concebemos os seguintes pressupostos que subsidiarão as considerações a serem aqui desenvolvidas: a) o cânone se configura como procedimento de controle do discurso e como lugar de memória, mas a coerção que impõe a seus objetos é passível de transformações quando circula nos meios digitais; b) o discurso estético, mencionado por Michel Pêcheux nas obras da chamada "terceira época" da Análise do Discurso, sinaliza caminhos para a compreensão do lugar da pintura e da mídia no aparato teórico desse campo do saber; c) a história da Análise do Discurso desenhada por Jean-Jacques Courtine retrata os limites do pensamento de Michel Pêcheux e os avanços do pensamento de Michel Foucault com relação à abordagem da imagem em sua dimensão material, discursiva e histórica; d) o enunciado, para Michel Foucault, possui uma natureza semiológica, ou seja, ele não se reduz necessariamente ao componente linguístico; para compreendermos esse princípio, analisamos o período entre 1966 e 1968, em que Michel Foucault esteve na Tunísia e desenvolvia simultaneamente, entre outros trabalhos, os fundamentos de seu método arqueológico (A arqueologia do saber) e as reflexões sobre o discurso estético (A pintura de Manet); e) para estudarmos a abordagem da imagem e da pintura na Análise do Discurso, revisitamos os princípios encontrados no campo da Semiologia dos anos 1960 e 70 - como a obra de Roland Barthes em torno da fotografia e a de Carlo Ginzburg em torno do paradigma indiciário na pintura - para então compreendermos a natureza da Semiologia Histórica desenvolvida por Jean-Jacques... / Abstract: In order to reflect on the transformations of visual canon in digital media from the relations between discourse and image, we base ourselves on the postulates of Discourse Analysis, derived from the group around Michel Pêcheux and from the contributions of Michel Foucault's work. We conceive the following assumptions that will subsidize the considerations to be developed here: a) the canon is configured as a discourse control procedure and as place of memory, but the coercion it imposes on its objects is subject to transformations when running in digital media; b) the aesthetic discourse, which is mentioned by Michel Pêcheux in the works called the "third age" of Discourse Analysis, indicates some paths for understanding the place of painting and media in the theoretical apparatus of this field of knowledge; c) the history of Discourse Analysis designed by Jean-Jacques Courtine depicts the boundaries of Michel Pecheux's thought and the advances of Michel Foucault's thought regarding the image approach in its material, discursive and historical dimension; d) the utterance, according to Michel Foucault, has a semiotic nature, i.e. it is not necessarily reduced to the linguistic component; to understand this principle, we analysed the period between 1966 and 1968, in which Michel Foucault has been in Tunisia and has developed simultaneously, among other works, the foundations of his archaeological method (The archaeology of knowledge) and his reflections on the aesthetic discourse (Manet and the object of painting); e) in order to study the image and painting approach in Discourse Analysis, we have revisited the principles found in the field of Semiology in the 1960s and 70s - Roland Barthes' work around photography and Carlo Ginzburg's work around the evidential paradigm in painting - and then understand the nature of Historical Semiology, developed by Jean-Jacques Courtine. In general, this thesis explains the theoretical... / Résumé: Visant à la réflexion sur les transformations du canon visuel dans les médias numériques à partir des relations entre le discours et l'image, nous nous appuyons dans les postulats de l'Analyse du Discours, issue des travaux du groupe autour de Michel Pêcheux et de contributions de l'oeuvre de Michel Foucault, et nous concevons les hypothèses suivantes qui vont soutenir les considérations développées ici: a) le canon est constitué comme procédure de contrôle du discours et lieu de mémoire, mais la contrainte imposée à ses objets est susceptible de transformations lors de la circulation dans les médias numériques; b) le discours esthétique, mentionné par Michel Pêcheux dans les oeuvres dites de la « troisième époque » de l'Analyse du Discours, indique les voies pour la compréhension de la place de la peinture et des médias dans l'appareil théorique de ce domaine de la connaissance; c) l'histoire de l'Analyse du Discours dessinée par Jean-Jacques Courtine dépeint les limites de la pensée de Michel Pêcheux et l'avancée de la pensée de Michel Foucault par rapport à l'approche de l'image dans sa dimension matérielle, discursive et historique; d) l'énoncé, chez Michel Foucault, a une nature sémiotique/sémiologique, c'est-à-dire qu'il n'est pas forcément réduit à la composante linguistique; pour comprendre ce principe, nous analysons la période entre 1966 et 1968, dans laquelle Michel Foucault a été en Tunisie et développait à la fois, entre d'autres oeuvres, les fondations de sa méthode archéologique (L'Archéologie du savoir) et ses réflexions sur le discours esthétique (La peinture de Manet); e) pour étudier l'approche de l'image et de la peinture dans l'Analyse du Discours, nous revisitons les principes trouvés dans le domaine de la Sémiologie des années 1960 et 70 - comme l'oeuvre de Roland Barthes sur la photographie et celle de Carlo Ginzburg autour du paradigme des indices... / Doutor
126

Linguagens sincréticas e construção da identidade na Revista Unesp Ciência : um estudo semiótico /

Garrido, Bruno Sampaio. January 2015 (has links)
Orientador: Arnaldo Cortina / Banca: Edna Maria Fernandes dos Santos Nascimento / Banca: Jean Cristtus Portela / Banca: Antonio Vicente Seraphim Pietroforte / Banca: Vera Lúcia Rodella Abriata / Resumo: Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar a estrutura geral da significação da revista Unesp Ciência (UC) e, do mesmo modo, a maneira como o enunciador presente no discurso da revista constrói o simulacro de si mesma (éthos) e de seus leitores (páthos), com vistas à produção de um estilo discursivo próprio. O periódico, editado pela assessoria de comunicação da Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) desde setembro de 2009, tem como proposta divulgar a ciência produzida na e pela instituição. O referencial teóricometodológico adotado neste trabalho ancora-se, principalmente, na semiótica discursiva, proposta por Algirdas Julien Greimas e desenvolvida por seus seguidores, em diálogo com conceitos trazidos da filosofia da ciência e das teorias do jornalismo. Por meio da análise das linguagens sincréticas de UC e das marcas enunciativas que caracterizam a identidade do sujeito da enunciação, concluímos que a revista imbrica elementos que agregam características do gênero reportagem, da comunicação e da divulgação científicas e da divulgação institucional. Além disso, as narrativas visuais e a configuração do éthos do enunciador são decisivas para criar um estilo que valoriza a empatia com o enunciatário e a experiência sensível com o enunciado, criando-se efeitos de presentificação e de imersão. O caráter institucional e militante do discurso de UC também projeta o nome da Unesp e dos agentes responsáveis pela produção científica correspondente, agregando-lhes assim um caráter eufórico, além de valores específicos defendidos pela instituição - protagonismo, liderança, inovação, defesa do meio ambiente e de demandas sociais (sobretudo das minorias) / Abstract: This research aims to analyse the general structure of meaning of Unesp Ciência magazine (UC) and, in the same way, the manner how the enunciator present in discourse of this magazine builds a simulacrum of itself (éthos) and of their readers (páthos), in order to producing a particular discursive style. The magazine, which has been edited by the communication department of São Paulo State University (Unesp) since September 2009, proposes to disclose the science made in/by the institution. Theoretical-methodological framework adopted in this research is based upon, mainly, on the discursive semiotics, proposed by Algirdas Julien Greimas and developed by his followers, in a dialogue with concepts brought from Philosophy of Science and Journalism theories. Through an analysis of syncretic languages on UC and enunciation marks which characterize the identity of the enunciation subject, we concluded this magazine imbricates elements which aggregate features of the news story genre and the scientific and institutional disclosure. In addition, visual narratives and setting of the enunciator éthos are decisive to creating a style which values an empathy to the enunciatee and a sensible experience with the utterance, creating effects of presenting and immersing. The institutional and militant character of discourse of UC also propels the name of Unesp and the responsible agents to correspondent scientific production, aggregating them an euphoric feature, and also specific values defended by institution - prominence, leadership, innovation, defence of the environment and of social demands (especially those related to minority groups) / Doutor
127

A enunciação na semiótica discursiva : um estudo historiográfico /

Prado, Maria Goreti Silva. January 2018 (has links)
Orientador: Jean Cristtus Portela / Banca: Cintia Alves da Silva / Banca: Renata Ciampone Mancini / Banca: Arnaldo Cortina / Banca: Matheus Nogueira Schwartzmann / Resumo: Esta tese consiste em um estudo historiográfico do conceito de enunciação na semiótica de linha francesa, respeitando uma periodização que compreende meados dos anos de 1960 até o momento atual. A enunciação é um conceito que, embora não tenha sido explorado na fase inicial de constituição da teoria, já estava em germe em seu texto fundador, Semântica estrutural (1973 [1966]), pois Greimas, naquele momento, já afirmava que todo discurso pressupunha uma situação de comunicação que introduzia a problemática da subjetividade, mas, por opção metodológica, era preciso deixá-la de lado. Porém, essa exclusão não persistiu por muito tempo, visto que, no início da década de 1970, a questão começou a incomodar a comunidade semiótica, época em que, na linguística, esse assunto estava em seu auge em consequência, principalmente, dos estudos enunciativos que já vinham sendo desenvolvidos, há décadas, por Émile Benveniste. Metaforicamente falando, nos anos de 1970, as sementes desse conceito foram lançadas em um canteiro fértil chamado "semiótica". Com o tempo e o bom trato dos jardineiros semioticistas elas germinaram e floresceram na década de 1980, não só consolidando os estudos dos anos de 1970, como também incorporando novos elementos, como foi o caso dos estudos das paixões, ou do elemento sensível presente nos textos. Todavia, muito embora as mudanças já fossem prementes, o mestre lituano não teve oportunidade de orientar os novos rumos que os estudos enunciativos tomavam, pois, no ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This thesis consists of a historiographical study on the concept of enunciation in the French semiotics, respecting a pattern that comprehends from the middle of the 1960's until the current moment. The enunciation is a concept that, although has not been studied in the initial phase of the theory constitution, was in origin in its founding text, Structural Semantics (1973[1966]), because Greimas, in that moment, already affirmed that all discourse presupposed a communicative situation that introduced the problem of subjectivity, yet, by methodological choice, it was necessary to leave it aside. However, that exclusion did not prevail for a long time, as long as in the beginning of the 1970's, the question started to bother the semiotic community, moment that, in Linguistics, this subject was already in its heyday due to, mostly, the enunciative studies that were already being developed by Émile Benveniste for decades. Metaphorically speaking, in the 1970's, the seeds of this concept were sown in a fertile ground called "semiotics". Over time and with the good trait of the semiotician gardeners, they germinated and flourished in the 1980's, not only consolidating the 1970's studies, but also incorporating new elements, as it was in the case of the studies on the passions or on the sensitive element present in the texts. The changes were urgent, but the Lithuanian master did not have the opportunity of guiding the new paths that the enunciative studies were taking, because, in... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Résumé: Cette thèse consiste dans une étude historiographique du concept d'énonciation dans la sémiotique française, respectant la période du milieu des années 1960 jusqu'au moment présent. Le concept d'énonciation, malgré qu'il n'ait pas été exploité dans le début de la constitution de la théorie sémiotique, était en germe dans son texte fondateur Sémantique Structurale (1973 [1966]), parce que Greimas, à ce moment, affirmait déjà que tout le discours présupposait une situation de communication qui introduisait la problématique de la subjectivité, mais, par choix méthodologique, c'était nécessaire l'abandonner. Cependant, cette exclusion n'a pas duré longtemps, car au début des années 1970, cette question a commencé à déranger la communauté sémiotique, époque où, en linguistique, ce sujet était à son apogée principalement à cause des études énonciatives déjà développés par Émile Benveniste depuis longtemps. Au sens métaphorique, dans les années 1970, les graines de ce concept ont été jetées dans un lit fertile appelé « sémiotique ». Au fil du temps et avec le bon traitement des jardiniers sémiotiques, ils ont germés et prospérés dans les années 1980, en consolidant non seulement les études des années 1970, mais aussi en incorporant de nouveaux éléments, tels que les études des passions ou l'élément sensible présent dans les textes. Les changements étaient pressants, mais le maître lituanien n'a pas eu l'occasion de guider les nouvelles orientations des études énonciatives, car au dé... (Résumé complet accès életronique ci-dessous) / Doutor
128

What's the buzz? :a discursive approach to news values of Buzzfeed News

Wang, An Ni, Annie January 2018 (has links)
University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English
129

Os contornos do sujeito em redações de vestibular /

Cutrim, Ilza S. Galvão. January 2004
Orientador: Sebastião Expedito Ignácio / Resumo: O presente trabalho investiga as manobras criativas e inventivas do sujeito do discurso. A autora analisa vinte redações do vestibular da Universidade Estadual Paulista, referentes ao ano de 2001, centrando o enfoque no processo discursivo do sujeito com o propósito de verificar as astúcias realizadas por ele... / Résumé: Ce travail est unes recherche sur les manoeuvres créatives et inventives du sujet du discours... / Doutor
130

Making sense by make‐believing: a defence of semantic fictionalism.

January 2012 (has links)
哲學家多認為日常關于語意的陳述 (如:「單身漢」意即未婚男性)乃事實陳述,陳述語義事實。這些哲學家大都還認為語義事實有物理基礎。對此本文提出兩重反駁。首先,語義事實並無物理基礎,因此 (物理主義認為)根本不存在語義事實。其次,日常語義話語既不陳述語義事實,也不要求語義事實存在,而應理解為一種虛構。第一章論證第一點 (基于Kripke的論證,但据本文目的作了適當裁剪):任何具備表徵能力的物理系統皆等價於擁有某一獨特、確定功能的機器;若語義事實有物理基礎,則功能事實當有物理基礎,但功能事實並無物理基礎。第二章首先論證日常語義話語不要求語義事實存在 (因我們對其存在與否實無所謂),其次論證虛構話語 (如「Crotone在意大利的足弓上」)乃理解日常語義話語的最佳模型。將語義話語理解為虛構,非但合理可信,且多有啟發。本文結論認為,自然主義本身雖毋庸置疑,尋求自然主義的意義/表徵理論卻是緣木求魚。 / Many philosophers believe that the folk talk of meaning (e.g. “ ‘Bachelor’ means unmarried man“) states facts about meaning, or semantic facts. Most of them further believe that these facts are grounded in the physical reality. I argue against both views: (1) there are no semantic facts, insofar as they must be physically grounded; (2) meaning-talk does not state semantic facts, is not committed to them, and should instead be understood as a kind of make-believe. Chapter 1 presents an argument for (1), rst expounded (I think) by Kripke and here modied for my purpose. The argument is that any physical system with any representational capacity at all can be regarded as having a unique, determinate function; thus if representation--hence meaning--is physically grounded, so must be the function; but no such function can be physically grounded. Chapter 2 argues, rst, that meaning-talk does not commit us to semantic facts because we are indifferent to their existence. Second, that make-believe utterances (e.g. “Crotone is on the arch of the Italian boot“) more than any other discourse provide a good model for meaning-talk. Construing meaning-talk as make-believe is plausible and illuminating. I conclude that, while naturalism (I believe) is true, the attempt to naturalise meaning and representation is misguided. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Shen, Jian. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-85). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / Introduction --- p.1 / The First Thesis --- p.1 / The Second Thesis --- p.6 / Chapter 1 --- To Repudiate an Ontology --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1 --- Argument for Semantic Anti-Realism --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Premise One --- p.12 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Premise Two --- p.14 / Chapter 1.2 --- Naturalisers’ Program --- p.19 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Against Dretske --- p.24 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Against Millikan --- p.28 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Against Fodor --- p.35 / Chapter 1.3 --- An Exegetical Appendix --- p.39 / Chapter 2 --- While Enjoying Its Benefit --- p.43 / Chapter 2.1 --- Argument for Non-Commitment --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2 --- Another Argument for Non-Commitment --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Objections and Replies --- p.46 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Fictionalist Hypothesis --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Searching for a Model --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Why the Model Is Good --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Other Models --- p.71 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Objections and Replies --- p.73 / Conclusion --- p.82 / Bibliography --- p.83

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