Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'The New Institutional Theory of Art', 'Presentation of Self in Everyday Life' and 'Introduction to a Secret Encyclopaedia'

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4 ideas

1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 2. Analysis by Division
13099 Analysing right down to primitive concepts seems beyond our powers [Leibniz]
     Full Idea: An analysis of concepts such that we can reach primitive concepts...does not seem to be within human power.
     From: Gottfried Leibniz (Introduction to a Secret Encyclopaedia [1679], C513-14), quoted by Cover,J/O'Leary-Hawthorne,J - Substance and Individuation in Leibniz
     A reaction: Leibniz is nevertheless fully committed, I think, to the existence of such primitives, and is in the grip of the rationalist dream that thoughts can become completely clear, and completely well-founded.
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 8. Subjective Truth
5022 We hold a proposition true if we are ready to follow it, and can't see any objections [Leibniz]
     Full Idea: A proposition is held to be true by us when our mind is ready to follow it and no reason for doubting it can be found.
     From: Gottfried Leibniz (Introduction to a Secret Encyclopaedia [1679], p.7)
     A reaction: This follows on from Descartes' view, but it now sounds more like psychology than metaphysics. Clearly a false proposition could fit this desciption. Personally I follow propositions to which I can see no objection, without actually holding them true.
16. Persons / E. Rejecting the Self / 2. Self as Social Construct
8044 Goffman sees the self as no more than a peg on which to hang roles we play [Goffman, by MacIntyre]
     Full Idea: Erving Goffman has liquidated the self into its role-playing, arguing that the self is no more than 'a peg' on which the clothes of the role are hung.
     From: report of Erving Goffman (Presentation of Self in Everyday Life [1959]) by Alasdair MacIntyre - After Virtue: a Study in Moral Theory Ch.3
     A reaction: A rather unsympathetic expression of his view, but it seems to be a widely held view among students of sociology. But then sociologists are almost committed a priori to a social and relativist view of truth, persons, knowledge, religion etc.
21. Aesthetics / B. Nature of Art / 6. Art as Institution
20329 A work of art is an artifact created for the artworld [Dickie]
     Full Idea: A work of art is an artifact of a kind created to be presented to an artworld public.
     From: George Dickie (The New Institutional Theory of Art [1983], p.53)
     A reaction: This is the culminating definition in his paper, deriving originally from Danto, and an improvement of his earlier more complex definition. Since this definition amounts to 'this is art if I say it is art', it doesn't seem to reveal much.