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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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/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT adriennedengerinkchaplin langerslogicofsignsandsymbolsitssourcesandapplication |
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