Symbolic Worlds
Art, Science, Language, Ritual

Israel Scheffler explores the various ways in which the mind functions symbolically.

Israel Scheffler (Author)

9780521564250, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 November 1996

228 pages
23.4 x 16 x 2.3 cm, 0.457 kg

'The scholarship throughout is impeccable, and the writing is clear, straightforward and attractive. … Symbolic Worlds is an important work of philosophy - broad in scope, careful, detailed, and ingenious in its argumentation. Its contributions will be welcomed …' Karen Hanson, Indiana University, Bloomington

Symbolism is a primary characteristic of the mind, deployed and displayed in every aspect of our thought and culture. In this important and broad-ranging book, Israel Scheffler explores the various ways in which the mind functions symbolically. This involves considering not only the world of science and the arts, but also such activities as religious ritual and child's play. The book offers an integrated treatment of ambiguity and metaphor, analyses of play and ritual, and an extended discussion of the relations between scientific symbol systems and reality. What emerges is a picture of the basic symbol-forming character of the mind. In addition to philosophers of art and science, likely readers of this book will include students of linguistics, semiotics, anthropology, religion, and psychology.

Acknowledgements
Part I. Symbol and Reference: 1. Introduction and background
2. Denotation and mention-selection
Part II. Symbol and Ambiguity: 3. Ambiguity in language
4. Ambiguity in pictures
Part III. Symbol and Metaphor: 5. Ten myths of metaphor
6. Metaphor and context
7. Mainsprings of metaphor with Catherine Z. Elgin
Part IV. Symbol, Play and Art: 8. Reference and play
9. Art, science, religion
Part V. Symbol and Ritual: 10. Symbol and ritual
11. Ritual change
Part VI. Symbol and Reality: 12. Science and the world
13. Worlds and versions
14. World-features and discourse-dependence
15. Worries about worldmaking
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & political philosophy [HPS], Philosophy of language [CFA]