19 research outputs found
David D. Corey: The Sophists in Plato's Dialogues. State University of New York Press, Albany 2015.
Corpses, Living bodies and Stuffs : Pre-Platonic Concepts of Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ±
Taking Platoâs uses of the noun Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a starting point, this article presents an overview of the development of the Greek concept of body/Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± from Homer to the early 4th Century BCE by examining the uses of the word Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in Greek poetry and literature. Four stations of the termâs semantic development are identified: (i) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a corpse or a body of a moribund living being, (ii) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a living mortal being, (iii) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in contrast with its parts and (iv) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in abstraction. It is argued that the development may be viewed as a continuous extension of the scope of the term, where none of the previous uses become obsolete. The Stations (iii) and (iv) also testify of an emergence of a new, abstract criterion for the use of the term. This conceptual history also partly explains the multifaceted use of the word in the 4th century BCE, setting the stage for further developments.Peer reviewe
In Search of 'the Good of Man' : Georg Henrik von Wright's Humanistic Ethics
Proceeding volume: 93Peer reviewe
G. H. von Wright's Unpublished Edition of Wittgenstein's "Last Writings" : Editors' Preface and Other Materials, ca. 1967â68
Part II of this contribution makes available materials preserved of G. H. von Wrightâs hitherto unknown edition of Ludwig Wittgensteinâs last writings (1949â51) from 1967â68. The edition was never published. The underlying MS material (MS 169â177) was, instead, published in four different edited volumes in 1969, 1977 and 1992. Part I, an introduction to the archival items, contextualizes von Wrightâs edition historically, presents a reconstruction of its structure, compares it with the published volumes and discusses reasons for its abandonment.Peer reviewe
Corpses, Living bodies and Stuffs : Pre-Platonic Concepts of Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ±
Taking Platoâs uses of the noun Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a starting point, this article presents an overview of the development of the Greek concept of body/Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± from Homer to the early 4th Century BCE by examining the uses of the word Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in Greek poetry and literature. Four stations of the termâs semantic development are identified: (i) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a corpse or a body of a moribund living being, (ii) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± as a living mortal being, (iii) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in contrast with its parts and (iv) Ïáż¶ÎŒÎ± in abstraction. It is argued that the development may be viewed as a continuous extension of the scope of the term, where none of the previous uses become obsolete. The Stations (iii) and (iv) also testify of an emergence of a new, abstract criterion for the use of the term. This conceptual history also partly explains the multifaceted use of the word in the 4th century BCE, setting the stage for further developments.Peer reviewe
Book Review: David M. Timmerman â Edward Schiappa: Classical Greek Rhetorical Theory and the Disciplining of Discourse. Cambridge University Press, New York 2010.
Non peer reviewe
David D. Corey: The Sophists in Plato's Dialogues. State University of New York Press, Albany 2015. [Book review]
Non peer reviewe
The Philosophy of The Varieties of Goodness (1963) : Essays on G. H. von Wright's Theory of Value and Moral Philosophy
This doctoral dissertation is a study of G. H. von Wrightâs (1916â2003) philosophical treatise The Varieties of Goodness (1963), which has been unduly neglected in later developments of philosophical ethics and theory of value. The first, value-theoretical half of The Varieties of Goodness is a study of the conceptual varieties of goodness, or of the different ways of employing the word âgoodâ in language. Von Wright distinguishes six basic varieties: instrumental, technical, utilitarian, medical and hedonic goodness, and the good of some being. The second half of the book contains von Wrightâs (normative) moral philosophy, which consists of a series of explications of concepts familiar from traditional philosophical ethics, such as moral goodness, virtue, moral duty and justice.
The dissertation has three objectives: (i) to revisit and discuss von Wrightâs basic value-theoretical ideas and proposals, (ii) to give an account of von Wrightâs moral philosophy, and (iii) to relate his views to select other currents of the mid 20th century ethics. The scholarly approach is a combination of historical contextualization and (philosophical) critical reconstruction. The research utilizes unpublished archival materials and correspondence.
Introduction examines von Wrights basic philosophical proposals and sums up critically the main lines of his moral philosophy. This is done, first, by identifying and discussing a number of axiological and moral-philosophical Grundgedanken (basic ideas) and their repercussions, and second, by giving an overview of von Wrightâs explicative accounts of moral notions. I suggest that von Wrightâs normative moral philosophy is an early example of a welfarist position in ethics. I also argue that some of his basic ideas still provide illuminating perspectives to philosophical disputes. On the critical side, I point out that some of these ideas are open to different interpretations and that some of von Wrightâs methodological presuppositions are problematic.
In the Articles, The Varieties of Goodness is approached from various angles. Article I discusses von Wrightâs conception of philosophy and the analytical method that is used in charting the varieties of goodness. Article II focuses on one of the key ideas of von Wrightâs moral-philosophical endeavour: the idea that moral goodness is a non-autonomous form of goodness in search of a meaning. Article III discusses the notion of the good of man (human welfare), which is a pivotal notion in von Wrightâs explication of moral value. Articles IV and V are devoted to the relation between The Varieties of Goodness and Ludwig Wittgensteinâs (1889â1951) philosophical heritage. Article IV traces the development of von Wrightâs work in the 1950s and shows how his philosophical approach is variously indebted to Wittgensteinâs late work. Article V contains a thorough criticism of James Klaggeâs recent interpretation of von Wrightâs and Wittgensteinâs views on the varieties of goodness.TĂ€mĂ€ vĂ€itöskirja on ensimmĂ€inen laajamittainen tutkimus suomalaisfilosofi Georg Henrik von Wrightin (1916â2003) vuonna 1963 julkaistusta teoksesta The Varieties of Goodness (suom. HyvĂ€n muunnelmat, 2001) ja sen filosofisista perusajatuksista. VĂ€itöskirja koostuu viidestĂ€ artikkelista ja johdannosta.
G. H. von Wright on yksi kansainvĂ€lisesti maineikkaimmista suomalaisista tiedemiehistĂ€. HyvĂ€n muunnelmat on puolestaan von Wrightin arvo- ja moraalifilosofinen pÀÀteos. Teoksen filosofisen lĂ€hestymistavan ytimessĂ€ on idea hyvyyden kĂ€sitteellisestĂ€ monimuotoisuudesta, joka ilmenee sanan âhyvĂ€â erilaisina kĂ€yttötapoina kielessĂ€. Kirjan arvoteoriaan keskittynyt alkupuoli kĂ€sittelee seikkaperĂ€isesti hyvyyden kuutta perusmuotoa: vĂ€lineellistĂ€, teknistĂ€, utilitaarista, terveydellistĂ€ ja hedonista hyvyyttĂ€ sekĂ€ jonkin olennon hyvÀÀ. Teoksen jĂ€lkipuoli taas sisĂ€ltÀÀ luonnoksen normatiivisen etiikan teoriasta, jossa ihmisen hyvĂ€n eli hyvinvoinnin kĂ€site nostetaan tekojemme ja tarkoitusperiemme moraalisen hyvyyden keskeiseksi mittariksi. Myös von Wrightin eksplikaatiot sellaisista perinteisistĂ€ etiikan kĂ€sitteistĂ€ kuten hyve, normi, velvollisuus ja oikeudenmukaisuus suhteuttavat nĂ€mĂ€ kĂ€sitteet hyvinvointia koskeviin pohdintoihin.
Vaikka HyvĂ€n muunnelmat oli von Wrightin filosofisten teosten joukossa hĂ€nen henkilökohtainen suosikkinsa, on kirja jÀÀnyt myöhemmissĂ€ keskusteluissa suhteellisen vĂ€hĂ€iselle huomiolle. SitĂ€ koskeva sekundaarikirjallisuus on edelleen vĂ€hĂ€istĂ€, eikĂ€ siitĂ€ ole aiemmin ollut olemassa hyvin perusteltua standarditulkintaa. TĂ€mĂ€ vĂ€itöskirjan tavoite on ollut muodostaa HyvĂ€n muunnelmista filosofisesti ja historiallisesti perusteltu yleistulkinta, joka kattaa (i) von Wrightin teoksen metodologiset ja arvofilosofiset perusideat sekĂ€ (ii) hĂ€nen normatiivisen moraalifilosofiansa yleislinjat ja (iii) asettaa von Wrightin työn historialliseen kontekstiinsa. TutkimusmenetelmiltÀÀn vĂ€itöskirja yhdistÀÀ historiallista kontekstualisaatiota ja filosofisten perusajatusten kriittistĂ€ rekonstruointia. Tutkimuksessa kĂ€ytetÀÀn julkaisemattomia ja aiemmin hyödyntĂ€mĂ€ttömiĂ€ arkistomateriaaleja ja tieteellistĂ€ kirjeenvaihtoa, jota sĂ€ilytetÀÀn pÀÀosin Helsingin yliopiston Von Wright â Wittgenstein -arkistossa ja Kansalliskirjastossa.
VÀitöskirjan johdanto sisÀltÀÀ yleiskatsauksen HyvÀn muunnelmien filosofisiin perusideoihin. Johdannossa (a) identifioidaan ja tarkastellaan kriittisesti von Wrightin arvoteoreettisia perusideoita ja niiden filosofisia seurauksia, (b) kÀydÀÀn lÀpi hÀnen moraalifilosofisia perusideoitaan ja kartoitetaan niiden keskinÀisiÀ riippuvaisuussuhteita ja (c) esitellÀÀn esimerkkien kautta von Wrightin varsinaista moraalifilosofiaa. Johdannossa osoitetaan, ettÀ von Wrightin teoksen alkupuoli sisÀltÀÀ joukon omaperÀisiÀ menetelmÀllisiÀ ja sisÀllöllisiÀ ideoita, joita ei kuitenkaan aina ole kehitelty loppuun saakka. ErÀÀt ideoista voidaan tulkita monella eri tavalla, ja niiden pohjalta voidaan kehittÀÀ useita erilaisia lÀhestymistapoja moraalifilosofiaan. Von Wrightin normatiivisen etiikan teoriaa voidaan puolestaan pitÀÀ varhaisena esimerkkinÀ welfarismista eli filosofisesta kannasta, jonka mukaan hyvinvointi on moraalisen arvon keskeinen mittari.
Artikkelit lĂ€hestyvĂ€t HyvĂ€n muunnelmia ja sen perusajatuksia eri nĂ€kökulmista. Artikkeli I kĂ€sittelee von Wrightin kĂ€siteanalyyttistĂ€ menetelmÀÀ ja suhteuttaa teoksen ehdotuksia 1900-luvun puolivĂ€lin moraalifilosofisiin keskusteluihin. Artikkeli II tarkastelee von Wrightin moraalifilosofian keskeistĂ€ ideaa, jonka mukaan moraalinen hyvĂ€ ei ole itsenĂ€inen hyvyyden muoto, vaan merkitystÀÀn etsivĂ€ kĂ€site, joka mÀÀrĂ€ytyy suhteessa hyvĂ€n kĂ€sitteellisiin perusmuotoihin. Artikkeli III keskittyy ihmisen hyvĂ€n (engl. âThe Good of Manâ) kĂ€sitteeseen, joka on von Wrightin varsinaisen (normatiivisen) moraalifilosofian keskeinen kĂ€site. Artikkelit IV ja V puolestaan kartoittavat von Wrightin arvofilosofian suhdetta oppi-isĂ€nsĂ€ Ludwig Wittgensteinin (1889â1951) filosofiseen perintöön ja esittĂ€vĂ€t, ettĂ€ HyvĂ€n muunnelmia voidaan pitÀÀ omaperĂ€isenĂ€ varianttina myöhĂ€iswittgensteinilaisesta lĂ€hestymistavasta moraalifilosofiaan. NĂ€kökulmaltaan historiallis-genealoginen artikkeli IV seuraa von Wrightin etiikan kehitystĂ€ 1950-luvulla ja osoittaa, ettĂ€ von Wright ammensi Wittgensteinin myöhĂ€isfilosofiasta menetelmĂ€llisiĂ€ ja sisĂ€llöllisiĂ€ piirteitĂ€ omaan arvofilosofiaansa. Artikkeli V on puolestaan kriittinen vastine James Klaggen tulkinnalle (2018) von Wrightin ja Wittgensteinin kĂ€sityksistĂ€ hyvĂ€n muunnelmista ja perheyhtĂ€lĂ€isyydestĂ€
HyvÀn muunnelmat, analyysin muunnelmat : G. H. von Wright moraalisen hyvÀn luonteesta
Peer reviewe