The Role of ‘Denotatur’ in Ockham’s Theory of Supposition

Vivarium ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 352-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Dutilh Novaes
Keyword(s):  
Medieval Logic ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Supposition Theory

Abstract In the scholarship on medieval logic and semantics of the last decades, Ockham’s theory of supposition is probably the most extensively studied version of such theories; yet, it seems that we still do not fully understand all its intricacies. In this paper, I focus on a phrase that occurs countless times throughout Ockham’s writings, but in particular in the sections dedicated to supposition in the Summa logicae: the phrase ‘denotatur’. I claim that an adequate understanding of the role of the concept of denotatur within Ockham’s supposition theory shall yield a deeper understanding of the theory as a whole. Here, I first examine a few uses of the term ‘denotatur’ and its variants by other authors. I then turn to Ockham: first I briefly mention some uses of the term in contexts other than his theory of supposition. Following that, I focus on his supposition theory, in particular on how ‘denotatur’ allows him to deal with two crucial puzzles, namely the supposition of empty terms and the supposition of terms in false affirmative propositions. The treatment of these two puzzles suggests that Ockham’s theory of supposition must be understood as a theory chiefly intended for the generation of the meanings of propositions.

Zeit und gutes Leben

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-513
Author(s):  
Holmer Steinfath
Keyword(s):  
Internal Structure ◽  
Good Life ◽  
External Factor ◽  
Life Time ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Gutes Leben

Time is a neglected subject in recent, especially analytically minded reflections on the good life. The article highlights the fundamental role of time and temporality for an adequate understanding of the good life. Time functions both as an external factor with which we have to reckon in our practical deliberations and as an internal structure of living our lives. It is argued that striving for a good life also means striving for being in harmony with the time of one's life. The exploration of this idea allows to link analytical with phenomenological approaches to time and good life.

scholarly journals Soziales System statt Ökosystem: Für eine gesellschaftstheoretische Grundierung des Ecocriticism

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hofer
Keyword(s):  
Literary Criticism ◽  
German Literature ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Niklas Luhmann ◽  
Palabras Clave ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Soziales System ◽  
Ecological Communication

Keywords: ökologisch orientierte Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaft, gesellschaftstheoretische Grundierung, ökologische Kommunikation, diskurstheoretischer Ansatz, Niklas Luhmann, prekäre Erkenntnismöglichkeiten. Why has ecocriticism yet to gain recognition in German literature departments? One reason is that fundamental questions about literature as a form of ecological communication and its function in society have yet to be satisfactorily answered. Even significant recent developments in ecocritical theory like Zapf’s “Cultural Ecology” are problematic, inasmuch as they are based on an over-simplified conception of ecology and the harmony of ecosystems. A more robust theoretical grounding for ecocriticism can be found in social theory. Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory provides the theoretical framework for an adequate understanding of ecological crisis and of the role of literature and literary criticism in addressing it. Palabras clave: literatura ecológica y ciencias culturales, fundamentos de la teoría social, comunicación ecológica, principios de la teoría discursiva, Niklas Luhmann, precario descubrimiento de posibilidades ¿Por qué la ecocrítica todavía tiene que obtener reconocimiento en los departamentos de literatura Germánica? Una razón es que las preguntas fundamentales sobre la literatura como forma de comunicación ecológica y su función en la sociedad aún no han obtenido una respuesta satisfactoria. Incluso los desarrollos recientes en teoría ecocrítica como la “Ecología Cultural” de Zapf son problemáticos  en tanto que se basan en un concepto de ecología y en una armonía de los ecosistemas excesivamente simplificado. Puede encontrarse una base teórica más consistente para la ecocrítica en la teoría social. La teoría de sistemas de Niklas Luhmann proporciona el marco teórico para una interpretación adecuada de la crisis ecológica y del papel de la literatura y de la crítica literaria en su tratamiento de ésta

scholarly journals A Typology-Based Approach for Assessing Qualities and Determinants of Adoption of Sustainable Water Use Technologies in Coping with Context Diversity: The Case of Mechanized Raised-Bed Technology in Egypt

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 5428
Author(s):  
Quang Bao Le ◽  
Boubaker Dhehibi
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Livelihood Systems ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Raised Bed ◽  
Farming Households ◽  
Water Uses

Mechanized raised-bed technology (MRBT) is recognized as an important measure to achieve higher crop productivity and water-use efficiency in intensive irrigated systems. Development efforts on spreading this technology require adequate understanding of the qualities and drivers of farmers’ adoption of MRBT. Research in agricultural innovation adoption has identified the importance of the socio-ecological context (SEC) that influences the livelihood of farmers adopting new technologies. This study introduces an agricultural livelihood systems (ALS) typology-based approach for guiding concrete analytical steps and statistical methods in evaluating the effects of system SEC diversity in two Egyptian governorates. We objectively classify a population of sampled farming households into a limited number of ALS types and use inferential statistics for the whole sampled population and individual ALS types to discover adoption drivers. Values added by the ALS approach confirm the widespread role of common determinants of MRBT adoption across ALS types, household groups subject to the effects MRBT, and show new causal effects. The presented advanced approach and empirical findings will be useful for enhancing targeting and out-scaling of MRBT practices toward achieving sustainable agricultural water uses at scale.

scholarly journals The postcolonial moment in security studies

2006 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
TARAK BARKAWI ◽  
MARK LAFFEY
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Global South ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Security Studies ◽  
World War ◽  
The West ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Security Relations ◽  
Armed Resistance

In this article, we critique the Eurocentric character of security studies as it has developed since World War II. The taken-for-granted historical geographies that underpin security studies systematically misrepresent the role of the global South in security relations and lead to a distorted view of Europe and the West in world politics. Understanding security relations, past and present, requires acknowledging the mutual constitution of European and non-European worlds and their joint role in making history. The politics of Eurocentric security studies, those of the powerful, prevent adequate understanding of the nature or legitimacy of the armed resistance of the weak. Through analysis of the explanatory and political problems Eurocentrism generates, this article lays the groundwork for the development of a non-Eurocentric security studies.

A Quantified Temporal Logic for Ampliation and Restriction

Vivarium ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 485-510
Author(s):  
Sara L. Uckelman
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Temporal Logic ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Classical Logic ◽  
Medieval Logic ◽  
Supposition Theory ◽  
The Middle Ages

Abstract Temporal logic as a modern discipline is separate from classical logic; it is seen as an addition or expansion of the more basic propositional and predicate logics. This approach is in contrast with logic in the Middle Ages, which was primarily intended as a tool for the analysis of natural language. Because all natural language sentences have tensed verbs, medieval logic is inherently a temporal logic. This fact is most clearly exemplified in medieval theories of supposition. As a case study, we look at the supposition theory of Lambert of Lagny (Auxerre), extracting from it a temporal logic and providing a formalization of that logic.

scholarly journals Limiting Permissible Limitations: How to Preserve the Substance of Religious Freedom

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 3-19
Author(s):  
Heiner Bielefeldt
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Freedom Of Religion ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Human Rights Practice ◽  
Adequate Understanding

Abstract The question of how to draw legitimate limits to the content and exercise of human rights has caused many controversies, not only in academic debates, but also in human rights practice. Governments often invoke limitation clauses linked to human rights provisions as a broad allowance to impose restrictions. However, the main function of those clauses is actually to limit the scope of permissible limitations. This chapter takes freedom of religion or belief as a test case to illustrate the role of limitation clauses. Moreover, from an adequate understanding of limitation clauses, the popular “balancing” semantics deserves serious criticism, since it obfuscates the task to preserve the substance of human rights guarantees even in situations of normative conflict.

scholarly journals Glimpse at EU–China relationships since 2008

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-57
Author(s):  
Jelena Staburova ◽  
Una Aleksandra Bērziņa
Keyword(s):  
Political Communication ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Chinese Policy ◽  
History Of ◽  
Chinese Texts ◽  
The Eu

Abstract United Europe-China relations have a long history. For many years they have developed successfully, but not along a simple course. The main thesis of this article is that the year 2008, which is associated primarily with the onset of the financial crisis in Europe, became a watershed in the history of bilateral relations between EU and China. Over the past few years the agenda and the role of the actors, and also the content and format of discourse have changed dramatically. This article is devoted primarily to some aspects of the EU’s position in relation to China and, to a lesser extent, to the position of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Therefore the history of contacts between the two sides will be considered especially in the light of some EU publications, while China will be outside our primary area of focus. Unlike many studies on economic cooperation between EU and China, our paper will accentuate the political component of the relationship. We shall try to demonstrate that, beginning with 2008, Europe has been partly losing its status as the driving force in the EU-China dialogue. We will conclude by addressing the problem of adequate understanding of Chinese political texts, without which no political communication of Europe with China can be successful. A critical analysis of a recent document prepared by the EU eliminates some problematical points within the united Europe, which affect the effectiveness of its Chinese policy. Our method can be described as eclectic in the sense that it borrows arguments from a variety of political research techniques and terminologies (discourse analysis, historical institutionalism, engagement and stakeholder theories), as well as from sinological (by which we understand the analysis of Chinese texts in the cultural perspective) and historical approaches.

The Colonial Legacy of Salary Structures in Anglophone Africa

1982 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Bennell
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Total Employment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Colonial Legacy ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Incomes Policy ◽  
Wage Structures

The distribution of personal incomes in contemporary African societies is powerfully influenced by public-sector salary and wage structures. Even where capitalist and hence pro private-enterprise development strategies have been openly pursued, as in Kenya, the public service accounts for over 40 per cent of total employment in the modern sector. Where more statist, quasi-socialist strategies have been abopted, as in Ghana and Tanzania, this percentage rises to over 70. Clearly, then, any discussion of income distribution and the potential rôle of incomes policy hinges on an adequate understanding of the processes that determine remuneration in the public sector. And this in turn requires a comprehensive historical analysis of the political economy of each society – in particular, the process of class formation and the rôle of the state.

„Denken wir wieder an die Intention, Schach zu spielen.“

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-206
Author(s):  
Ingolf Max
Keyword(s):  
Philosophical Investigations ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Strategy Game

Abstract“Let us think of the intention to play chess”. On the Role of Chess Analogies in Wittgenstein’s Philosophy starting from 1929. Chess analogies represent a neglected topic in the studies on Wittgenstein. However, already a closer look at the Philosophical Investigations shows the great variety of contexts in which there are analogies to very different aspects of chess. An examination of the entire Nachlass illustrates Wittgenstein’s ongoing interest in chess which began in 1929 and lasted until his death in 1951. The integration of a thorough analysis of the references to chess sheds new light on an adequate understanding of the transition from his early philosophy of the Tractatus logico-philosophicus to his later philosophy, especially in the years 1929 to 1931. In our language of analysis, chess is understood as a codex-based strategy game. In this context and in contrast to it, we consider selected instructive uses of chess analogies in Wittgenstein's Nachlass. By means of such analogies similarities as well as filigree or significant differences in the meanings of linguistic expressions can be very convincingly illustrated, misunderstandings can be removed and complete clarity can be attained. Starting from Wittgenstein's considerations, the method of finding and inventing chess analogies can be developed in perspective into a creative form of practice of linguistic-analytic philosophizing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document