Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application

Over the last few decades, philosopher of art Susanne K. Langer (1895-1985) has gained growing attention for her wide-ranging and innovative philosophy of mind and culture. A central element in this philosophy is her distinction between sign and symbol. In order to understand the way in which Langer...

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Main Author: Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Warsaw 2019-12-01
Series:Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture
Subjects:
art
Online Access:http://eidos.uw.edu.pl/langers-logic-of-signs-and-symbols-its-sources-and-application/
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spelling doaj-2c5197235adc4e50a0efcbbd2c5293612021-01-02T10:14:05ZengUniversity of WarsawEidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture2544-302X2544-302X2019-12-0134445410.14394/eidos.jpc.2019.0041Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and ApplicationAdrienne Dengerink Chaplin0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5398-8118Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College LondonOver the last few decades, philosopher of art Susanne K. Langer (1895-1985) has gained growing attention for her wide-ranging and innovative philosophy of mind and culture. A central element in this philosophy is her distinction between sign and symbol. In order to understand the way in which Langer draws this distinction it is essential to know her philosophically formative sources: Henry Sheffer, Alfred North Whitehead, Ernst Cassirer and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Having explained this background, I will argue that Langer’s distinction between signs and symbols not only has significant theoretical value but can be used to explain important differences between certain kinds of artistic images. I will illustrate this with a series of murals in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, painted by the Bogside Artists. Unlike Northern Ireland’s standard sectarian murals, the murals of the Bogside Artists do not function as territorial signs or as political message boards but as symbols that are vehicles for conception, reflection and commemoration. It is argued that Langer’s notion of art as a non-discursive, open-ended symbol can contribute to a better understanding of the murals of the Bogside Artists and to an argument for their preservation.http://eidos.uw.edu.pl/langers-logic-of-signs-and-symbols-its-sources-and-application/susanne k. langersymbolsignartbogside artistsmurals
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
spellingShingle Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture
susanne k. langer
symbol
sign
art
bogside artists
murals
author_facet Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
author_sort Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
title Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
title_short Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
title_full Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
title_fullStr Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
title_full_unstemmed Langer’s Logic of Signs and Symbols: Its Sources and Application
title_sort langer’s logic of signs and symbols: its sources and application
publisher University of Warsaw
series Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture
issn 2544-302X
2544-302X
publishDate 2019-12-01
description Over the last few decades, philosopher of art Susanne K. Langer (1895-1985) has gained growing attention for her wide-ranging and innovative philosophy of mind and culture. A central element in this philosophy is her distinction between sign and symbol. In order to understand the way in which Langer draws this distinction it is essential to know her philosophically formative sources: Henry Sheffer, Alfred North Whitehead, Ernst Cassirer and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Having explained this background, I will argue that Langer’s distinction between signs and symbols not only has significant theoretical value but can be used to explain important differences between certain kinds of artistic images. I will illustrate this with a series of murals in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, painted by the Bogside Artists. Unlike Northern Ireland’s standard sectarian murals, the murals of the Bogside Artists do not function as territorial signs or as political message boards but as symbols that are vehicles for conception, reflection and commemoration. It is argued that Langer’s notion of art as a non-discursive, open-ended symbol can contribute to a better understanding of the murals of the Bogside Artists and to an argument for their preservation.
topic susanne k. langer
symbol
sign
art
bogside artists
murals
url http://eidos.uw.edu.pl/langers-logic-of-signs-and-symbols-its-sources-and-application/
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