"Utilitarianism is a theory in normative ethics holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes utility, usually defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering. Classic utilitarianism's two most influential contributors are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill." (English Wikipedia) From Williams’ Keywords: “Utilitarian has one complication: that it is a description of a particular philosophical system, which in … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Utilitarian
Philosophy
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Structuralism
From “Structuralism and Semiotics”: Structuralism is the name that is given to a wide range of discourses that study underlying structures of signification. Signification occurs wherever there is a meaningful event or in the practise of some meaningful action. Hence the phrase, "signifying practices." A meaningful event might include any of following: writing or reading … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Structuralism
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Revolution
For this challenge I have drawn a lot from Keywords by Raymond Williams. My reasons are that his essays are wonderfully erudite, and fun to read (I hope followers of this blog will agree!) A beautiful example is his essay on Revolution. I cannot not quote this in its entirety! As a reminder, in Keywords … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Revolution
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Pragmatic
Williams writes: “Pragmatic is now most often used, especially of politicians and politics, in contrast either with dogmatic or with principled, according to point of view.” I find this definition interesting, since the latter would imply that it may be difficult to be both pragmatic and principled! I would prefer the opposition, or contrast, between … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Pragmatic
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Liberal
From Wiktionary: “adjective: either Of or relating to the Liberal party, its membership, or its platform, policy, or viewpoint Or Generous, in great amount, a large proportion. Noun: (politics) a member or supporter of a liberal party UK (historically) Whig” In Raymond Williams: “Liberal has, at first sight, so clear a political meaning that some … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Liberal
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Keywords
For the purpose of this challenge: Raymond Williams’s book “Keywords: A vocabulary of culture and society” (1976-1983) Author of Culture and Society, published in 1958, Cambridge academic and member of Plaid Cymru, Williams was inspired by his country, Wales, and his love of words, their history and their meaning. I owe to Williams to participate … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Keywords
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Jargon
“Jargon, it might be said, has become, in some modern uses, a jargon word. It is now most commonly used to describe, unfavourably or contemptuously, the vocabulary of certain unfamiliar branches of knowledge or intellectual positions.” From Keywords, where Williams also remarks that: “…it is also true that the use of a new term or … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Jargon
#AtoZAprilChallenge: -isms
Williams says: “There have been isms, and for that matter ists, as far back as we have records. Ism and ist are Greek suffixes. Ism was used in English to form a noun of action (baptism); of a kind of action (heroism); and of actions and beliefs characteristic of some group (Atticism, Judaism) or tendency … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: -isms
#AToZAprilChallenge: Genius
Wikipedia: “A genius is a person who displays exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of an unprecedented leap of insight. This may refer to a particular aspect of an individual, or the individual in his or her entirety; to a scholar in many subjects (e.g. … Continue reading #AToZAprilChallenge: Genius
#AtoZAprilChallenge: Dialectic
According to Williams dialectic “appeared in English from the fourteenth century, in its Latin sense to describe what we would now call logic. Dialectique, dialectica, dialektike, were all, in their primary senses, the art of discussion and debate, and then, by derivation, the investigation of truth and discussion… Plato’s version has an important subsequent history: … Continue reading #AtoZAprilChallenge: Dialectic
