Kant and the Platypus: Essays on Language and CognitionHarcourt Brace, 2000 - 464 pages How do we know that a cat is a cat? Why do we agree on calling the beast a cat? Interesting questions, but an even more intriguing question lies at the heart of all modern philosophy-how much of our perception of things depends on our cognitive ability and how much on linguistic resources? At this point semiotics becomes inextricably linked to epistemology, or cognition. In these essays, Umberto Eco explores in depth such subjects as perception, the relationship between language and experience, and iconism that he only touched on in A Theory of Semiotics. Forgoing a formal, systematic treatment, Eco engages in a series of explorations based on common sense, from which flow an abundance of illustrative fables, often with animals as protagonists. Among the characters, a position of prominence is reserved for the platypus, which appears to have been created specifically to "put the cat among the pigeons" as far as many theories of knowledge are concerned. In Kant and the Platypus, Eco shares with us a wealth of ideas at once philosophical and amusing. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Chapter One ON BEING | 9 |
Chapter Two KANT PEIRCE AND THE PLATYPUS | 57 |
Copyright | |
12 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Kant and the Platypus: Essays on Language and Cognition Umberto Eco,Alastair McEwen No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
act of reference already analytic philosopher animal Aristotle Ayers Rock Aztecs basis bird called certainly cognitive type consider construct correspondence cultural decide defined definition discourse eggs empirical concepts Encyclopedia entity example exist expression fact Giorgione happens horse hypoicons idea identify imagine Immediate Object individual inference insofar intellect interpretation intuition Kant Kantian knowledge language linguistic maçatl mammal meaning Mind MONOTREMES Montezuma mouse nature notion observation sentences ontological oviparous Peirce Peirce's perceive perceptual experience perceptual judgment philosopher platypus point of view possible postulate precisely predicate primary iconism principle of charity problem properties propositions prosthesis prototype pure quadruped qualia question recognition recognize regard rigid designation sarkiapone schema Schtroumpf seems seen semantic semiosis sensation sense someone speaker surrogate stimuli talk tell Theory of Semiotics things tion token tree understand Vanville words
References to this book
Childbirth and the Display of Authority in Early Modern France Lianne McTavish No preview available - 2005 |
Debating Organization: Point-Counterpoint in Organization Studies Robert Westwood,Stewart Clegg No preview available - 2003 |