The limits of expression : language, poetry, thought
The following analysis takes as its starting point a divergence in views on what philosophers and linguists call âeffabilityâ or âexpressibilityâ (the extent to which it is possible, through the use of a public language, to make oneâs thoughts available to others). While philosophers and linguists (Searle, Katz, Recanati) defend stronger or weaker forms of effability, the âstruggle of the poet to defeat the ineffableâ is a recurring motif in most 20th century critical thinking. In trying to explain this apparent divergence, I reconsider a wide range of interdisciplinary issues of particular interest to linguists, psychologists, literary theorists and philosophers of art; these include the limits of linguistic expression, the role of perceptual representations in our mental tapestry, the existence or otherwise of a property of literariness or essence of art, the distinctiveness of the poetic/ artistic mind and the nature of aesthetic experience. In due course, my discussion brings to light a novel account of the possible evolutionary origins of art and sketches an empirically tractable model of aesthetic experience that lend us significant insight on the actual mental goings-on behind the poetâs
Kolaiti, P.
The limits of expression : language, poetry, thought. The following analysis takes as its starting point a divergence in views on what philosophers and linguists call âeffabilityâ or âexpressibilityâ (the extent to which it is possible, through the use of a public language, to make oneâs thoughts available to others). While philosophers and linguists (Searle, Katz, Recanati) defend stronger or weaker forms of effability, the âstruggle of the poet to defeat the ineffableâ is a recurring motif in most 20th century critical thinking. In trying to explain this apparent divergence, I reconsider a wide range of interdisciplinary issues of particular interest to linguists, psychologists, literary theorists and philosophers of art; these include the limits of linguistic expression, the role of perceptual representations in our mental tapestry, the existence or otherwise of a property of literariness or essence of art, the distinctiveness of the poetic/ artistic mind and the nature of aesthetic experience. In due course, my discussion brings to light a novel account of the possible evolutionary origins of art and sketches an empirically tractable model of aesthetic experience that lend us significant insight on the actual mental goings-on behind the poetâs
limit expression language poetry think follow analysis take_start_point divergence view philosopher linguist call extent possible use public language make thought available others philosopher linguist searle defend strong_weak form struggle poet defeat ineffable recur motif critical_thinking try_explain apparent divergence reconsider wide_range interdisciplinary issue particular_interest linguist psychologist literary theorist philosopher art include limit linguistic_expression role perceptual representation mental tapestry existence otherwise property essence art distinctiveness poetic artistic mind nature aesthetic_experience due course discussion brings light novel account possible evolutionary origin art sketch empirically model aesthetic_experience lend significant insight actual mental behind poet