This thesis deals with the interpretation of art, set against the background of the medieval Christian Neoplatonism of John Scotus Eriugena. For him, art and philosophy are regarded as the handmaidens of meaning. Therefore, although this thesis begins with a consideration of Eriugena's Periphyseon, it develops into a discussion on aesthetic theory, and ultimately into one on poetic theory. The object of this discussion is to account for meaning in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde according to Eriugenian poetics. / The essence of art will thus be pursued within the parameters of the Neoplatonic scala natura. In this way, the whole poetic interpretation of Chaucer's poem is grasped as a mirror of the ontological exitus-reditus pattern. In understanding the poem this way, this thesis comes to immediate terms with the medieval concept of the imago Dei, and understands the likeness of mankind to God to be primarily one made by virtue of language.

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Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T14:16:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabiana Vieira Ariza.pdf: 1534007 bytes, checksum: edbdbad2a7d5c188efb21566874bfbe3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-05-20 / The aim of this dissertation is to discuss in a broad way the conception of scala naturae, a prevailing view in the Western thought for many centuries. It will discuss particularly, in which way such idea was present in Aristotle s work De generatione animalium. It will describe Aristotle s methodology, as well as, trying to elucidate if Aristotle had intended to present a classification of animals. If so, which criteria he had used to draw it. Besides that, it will try to find which view he held about the origin of animals. This dissertation contains an introduction and four chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the idea of scala naturae from Antiquity to 19th century. Chapter 2 deals with some respects of Aristotle s life and writings, emphasizing the ones in which he studied the living beings. It also discusses some concepts adopted by him. Chapter 3 analyses the idea of scala naturae in De generatione animalium, as well as, the criteria he had used to draw his scale. Chapter 4 provides some final remarks on the subject. This study led to the conclusion that Aristotle invested lots of energy in classifying the great groups of animals which were arranged in his scale of perfection, contrary to the view held by some authors. The main criterion adopted by him was the vital heat of animals. Moreover, he did not present a sketch of his scale, although it was implicit in his writings. Besides that, there is no idea of organic evolution in Aristotle s scale of perfection. It represents just an arrangement of the great groups of animals. In this way, it is in harmony with his cosmological view / Os objetivos desta dissertação são discutir de um modo geral, a concepção de scala naturae, uma visão que esteve presente no pensamento ocidental durante muitos séculos. Discutirá particularmente, de que modo ela se apresenta na obra De generatione animalium de Aristóteles. Descreverá a metodologia de Aristóteles, procurando elucidar se ele pretendia apresentar uma classificação dos animais. Em caso positivo, procurará identificar os critérios que ele utilizou para isso. Além disso, procurará detectar qual era a opinião de Aristóteles sobre a origem dos animais. Esta dissertação está dividida em uma introdução e quatro capítulos. O Capítulo 1 discute a idéia de scala naturae, que se iniciou na Antiguidade e perdurou até o século XIX. O Capítulo 2 discorre sobre alguns aspectos da vida e obra de Aristóteles, enfatizando aquelas onde ele estudou os seres vivos. Discute também alguns conceitos adotados por ele. O Capítulo 3 analisa a idéia de scala naturae na obra De generatione animalium bem como os critérios adotados por Aristóteles na elaboração da mesma. O Capítulo 4 apresenta algumas considerações finais sobre o assunto. Este estudo levou à conclusão, de modo oposto à interpretação dada por alguns autores, de que Aristóteles investiu bastante energia na elaboração de uma classificação dos animais que ele distribuiu em grandes grupos na sua escala de perfeição. O principal critério que ele adotou foi o grau de calor vital dos animais. Além disso, ele não apresentou um esquema de sua escala, embora ela esteja implícita em seu trabalho. Não há nenhuma idéia de evolução orgânica na escala de perfeição de Aristóteles. Ela representa apenas um arranjo dos grandes grupos de animais. Nesse sentido, pode-se dizer que a visão de Aristóteles em relação a este assunto está em harmonia com sua visão cosmológica

In reading the literary criticism on Janet Frame's work it soon turns out that Frame was deconstructive before the concept was even invented. Thus, deconstruction is used in this essay to close-read a passage in the title story of her collection of short stories, The Lagoon (1951). The main hierarchical dichotomy of the passage is found to be the one between "the sea" and "the lagoon," in which the sea is proven to hold supremacy. "The sea" is read as an image of the great sea of English literary/cultural reference whereas "the lagoon" is read as an image of the vulnerably interdependent, peripheral pool of it, in the form of New Zealand literary/cultural reference. Through this symbolic and post-colonial reading the hierarchical dichotomy between "the sea" and "the lagoon" is deconstrued and reversed. In the conclusion, a post-colonial trace of Maori influence displaces the oppositional relation between "the sea" and "the lagoon."

The presentation of pietas in Lucretius has often been overlooked since he dismisses all religious practice, but when we consider the poem’s overall theme of growth and decay, a definition for pietas emerges. For humans, pietas is the commitment to maintaining the foedera naturae, “nature’s treaties.” Humans display pietas by procreating and thereby promoting their own atomic movements into the future. In the “Hymn to Venus,” Lucretius uses animals as role models for this aspect of human behavior because they automatically reproduce come spring. In the “Attack on Love,” Lucretius criticizes romantic love because it fails to promote the foedera naturae of the family. Lucretius departs from Epicurus by expressing a concern for the family’s endurance into the future, or for however long natura will allow. It becomes clear that Lucretius sees humans as bound to their communities since they must live together to perpetuate the foedera naturae of the family. / text

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Opsomming In hierdie verhandeling word die ontologie van Eriugena in oënskou geneem, met spesifieke verwysing na sy negatiewe ontologie, oftewel sy opvatting van nie-syn. Ter inleiding word daar na die Latynse en Griekse agtergrond van sy ontologie verwys. Dit word opgevolg deur `n bespreking van die verskillende wyses van syn en nie-syn waarvan Eriugena in die Periphyseon gebruik maak. Klem word geplaas op sy negatiewe ontologie, wat meer gevorderd is as enigiets in die Westerse denke tot heelwat na sy leeftyd. Die historiese konteks van Eriugena se lewe en denke word geskets, met inbegrip van die invloede wat op hom ingewerk het en sy eie nawerking. Sy viervoudige verdeling van die werklikheid word vervolgens bespreek, met aanduiding hoedat die ganse werklikheid gesien kan word as `n wisselwerking tussen syn en nie-syn. `n Dinamiese ontologie word dus deur Eriugena voorgehou, eerder as die statiese ontologie wat kenmerkend van veel Judaïsties-Christelike denke is. Summary In this dissertation the ontology of Eriugena is reviewed, with specific reference to his negative ontology, in other words his concept of non-being. By way of introduction the Latin and Greek background of his ontology is pointed out. It is followed by a discussion of the various modes of being and non-being that Eriugena employs in the Periphyseon. Emphasis is placed on his negative ontology, which is more advanced than anything in Western thought until much later than his time. The historical context of Eriugena's life and thought is sketched, including the influences acting on him and the influence he exerted on others. His fourfold division of reality is then discussed, indicating how the whole of reality can be viewed as an interaction between being and non-being. Eriugena thus postulates a dynamic ontology, rather than the static ontology that is characteristic of much of Judaistic-Christian thought. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Irländskfödda Johannes Scottus Eriugena (c. 810-877) verkade som teolog vid Karl II:s hov i det västfrankiska riket. Unikt för honom var att han kunde både grekiska och latin och ägnade sig åt att sammanföra grekiska och latinska kyrkofäders tänkande. I sitt filosofiska, exegetiska och teologiska verk Periphyseon kartlägger han varats ursprung och mål med hjälp av Augustinus, Ambrosius, Dionysius Areopagita, Gregorios av Nyssa, Gregorius av Nazianzus och Maximus Bekännaren. Eriugena är också en självständig tänkare. Den här uppsatsen lyfter fram några aspekter av hans tolkningar av Genesis 1-3 som ger honom hans särprägel som exeget. Kännetecknande för Eriugena är bl.a. att han hävdar att Bibeln ska tolkas allegoriskt. I uppsatsen belyses att hans allegoriska metod leder honom till en tolkning av paradiset som en framtidsvision. Han tar avstånd från den historiska tolkningen av Bibeln som Augustinus gör i De Genesi ad litteram. Kännetecknande för Eriugenas tänkande är också att det utgår från en systematisk nyplatonism. Uppsatsen visar hur detta kommer till uttryck i hans tolkning av Genesis 1-3. Ett övergripande syfte med uppsatsen är att väcka intresse för det teologiska tänkandet som föregick renässansen och för tidig medeltid i synnerhet. Genom det här arbetet hoppas jag inspirera till ett ökat intresse för tidig medeltid som en källa till intellektuell fördjupning.

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Opsomming In hierdie verhandeling word die ontologie van Eriugena in oënskou geneem, met spesifieke verwysing na sy negatiewe ontologie, oftewel sy opvatting van nie-syn. Ter inleiding word daar na die Latynse en Griekse agtergrond van sy ontologie verwys. Dit word opgevolg deur `n bespreking van die verskillende wyses van syn en nie-syn waarvan Eriugena in die Periphyseon gebruik maak. Klem word geplaas op sy negatiewe ontologie, wat meer gevorderd is as enigiets in die Westerse denke tot heelwat na sy leeftyd. Die historiese konteks van Eriugena se lewe en denke word geskets, met inbegrip van die invloede wat op hom ingewerk het en sy eie nawerking. Sy viervoudige verdeling van die werklikheid word vervolgens bespreek, met aanduiding hoedat die ganse werklikheid gesien kan word as `n wisselwerking tussen syn en nie-syn. `n Dinamiese ontologie word dus deur Eriugena voorgehou, eerder as die statiese ontologie wat kenmerkend van veel Judaïsties-Christelike denke is. Summary In this dissertation the ontology of Eriugena is reviewed, with specific reference to his negative ontology, in other words his concept of non-being. By way of introduction the Latin and Greek background of his ontology is pointed out. It is followed by a discussion of the various modes of being and non-being that Eriugena employs in the Periphyseon. Emphasis is placed on his negative ontology, which is more advanced than anything in Western thought until much later than his time. The historical context of Eriugena's life and thought is sketched, including the influences acting on him and the influence he exerted on others. His fourfold division of reality is then discussed, indicating how the whole of reality can be viewed as an interaction between being and non-being. Eriugena thus postulates a dynamic ontology, rather than the static ontology that is characteristic of much of Judaistic-Christian thought. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

This dissertation explores the ways in which the everyday (in)securities of people in southwestern Ukraine can illuminate our understanding of contemporary political life. Rather than using traditional units of analysis or given categories—the state, the individual, identity—the dissertation focuses on relations between people in and connected to a single village to develop a novel framework for analyzing politics and the political. The dissertation opens with an interrogation of the practical and theoretical challenges associated with current conceptualizations of security; our understanding of the political; and the role of ethnography in theorization and presents a research design meant to address those challenges. Drawing upon extensive participant-observation and other immersion-based research in a post-Soviet borderland wedged between Ukraine and Slovakia, and using an analytical tool I call “togetherness,” the thesis presents an ethnographic account of social interactions, economy, and authority in this largely Hungarian-speaking rural area. The third part of the dissertation applies the idea of an ontological shift and draws on complex systems and structuration theory (Luhmann and Giddens, respectively) to rethink the ethnographic analysis and to highlight relationships between structural and existential realms of political life. Here, the concept of security becomes central to the theorization, and the overall argument illuminates the intimate relationship between the idea of security and the political. Ultimately, this approach allows us to expand the scope of political ethnography: theorizing beyond thick description; integrating broader perspectives without losing the texture of the local; and developing an approach to research that can be replicated in other settings.