Department of Philosophy

 Seminar

 By

Prof. Paisley Livingston

Lingnan University

" Utterance meaning, work meaning, and

the interpretation of art "

Abstract

Although a number of prominent philosophers assume that the concept of utterance meaning is the correct model for thinking about the meaning of a work of art, others have contested this idea and propose different ways of thinking about the interpretation of art. In this talk I will survey reasoning on both sides of this debate and argue in favour of a new version of the utterance model. One problem in debates in this area is that the notion of utterance meaning is itself under dispute and requires careful elucidation. Utterance meaning, I will contend, is not reducible to utterer’s meaning, conventional meaning, iconic meaning, or associative meaning, but emerges from their interaction. Examples will be used to illustrate how the notion of utterance meaning is to be employed. I will focus, more specifically, on the problem of identifying the ‘success condition’ required by any viable form of intentionalism. I hope to show that a notion of utterance or work meaning is both viable and important to the interpretation of art.

Prof. Paisley Livingston

Professor Paisley Livingston is the author of Art and Intention (Clarendon Press 2005) as well as other books and papers in aesthetics and related fields.

  All are welcome

For enquiries, please call 2616 7488 or e-mail to dphilo@ln.edu.hk