Sign, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor;

Definitions and Distinctions

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Sign, Scheme, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor; Definitions and Distinctions

Definition

What is a definition in philosophy? Philosophy is essentially a discussion, a form of

discourse. Definitions are meaningful within particular forms of discourses.

Example: The Soul

General (intro)

The Soul in Pre-Socratic philosophy

The Soul by Aristotle

The Soul in the Old Testament

The Soul in the New Testament

Definition must be:

Clear

Adequate

Reasonable

Help to understand, instructive

Intuitively appealing

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Sign, Scheme, Allegory, Symbol, Metaphor; Definitions and Distinctions

Distinction

Distinctions are defined within a class or a broader category.

The tiger is differe t fro the wolf, ut elo gs to the sa e lass of a als .

The more different by nature are the objects, the harder it is to talk about

differences.

Examples:

How is a tomato different from a tiger?

How is the Polar star different from a tiger?

How is the constitution of Belgium different from the new moon?

Let us defi e the lass to whi h all our e tities elo g …

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Signs, schemes, allegories, symbols, metaphors belong to the same category.

They are all forms of a certain type of semantic relationship, which is called

EXPRESSION or REPRESENTATION:

Expression: A expresses B

Representation: A represents B

A = signifier; B = signified

A represents B This statue represents a war hero.

A is B p is i slavic languages.

A signifies B A cross on a building signifies a church.

A symbolizes B A dove symbolizes peace.

A means B This road sign means a sharp turn in the road.

A reminds of B The photo of my deceased father reminds me

of him.

In general: A causes B to come to mind

B = a eal thi g , hat is ea t, a meaning

A = a sign of B OR an allegory of B OR a symbol of B (a visual image)

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A B

letter stands for sound

crescent signifies Islam

green cross is a sig of … pharmacy

acter acts as character

portrait represents person

ring symbolizes marriage

image Is a allego of … idea or object

I see … I hea A (B) comes to mind

image meaning

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Sign

A minimal unit of meaning

Purely conventional

Arbitrary in nature

No esthetical value, only the meaning matters

Signs themselves do not stir emotions nor attract attention

Likes and dislikes do not apply to a sign itself

Meaning is elicited immediately if a sign is known

A sign is only what it means

Meaning clearly dominates

A sig is a t a spa e t i age: ou i d s e e i ediatel sees the meaning behind it.

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Schema, scheme, schematic, chart

A structured collection of signs

Its message is expressed in a certain language

Schematics do not conjure emotions

Likes and dislikes do not apply to a schemata itself

A meaning is elicited immediately if signs are known

A schematic is to a sign what a sentence is to a word

Meaning clearly dominates

Sketch is schematic:

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Allegory

A is a thi g i its o ights, hi h a ts out B

A is o plete a d, usuall , eautiful A is al a s e p essl diffe e t f o B

A o ks as a su stitute o a e i de of B

A has aestheti alue a d att a ts atte tio

One can like or dislike it = accept or reject an allegory

A conjures e otio s a d alls atte tio to B

Allegory seems artificial and may provoke irony

The e is a te sio et ee A a d B

The ea i g is hidde a d has to e elu idated

i age A do i ates the ea i g B

Sign

Scheme

Meaning

Image

Allegory

Symbol Metaphor

Image Meaning Symbol

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Sy ol = AB

A a d B a e 2 elated thi gs

Not A o B ut AB ! AB is NOT o e tio al A ep ese ts B di e tl

The li k AB is o ga i , atu al …

…. deepl ooted, i he e t, ste ious

…. e e mystical, sacred

Symbols conjure deep, strong emotions

They can provoke love, hatred, awe,etc

Sometimes, people are ready to die or kill for symbols

Not A o B ut AB do i ate. Portraits may have a symbolic quality:

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A flag as a symbol: veneration and desecration

Sign Symbol Allegory

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The History of a Symbol, The Example of the Eucharist

Early centuries A.D.: The symbol as a real connection

Renaissance: The real connection understood as physical

Mode : The s ol as a u eal , i agi ed o e tio

Co te po a : Not eal, just s oli ……..

So, what happened?

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Symbolic vs causal relationship

Huizinga: a symbol is a short circuit in the brain.

A causal relation is real; symbolic is unreal.

-> s oli thi ki g is a thi g of the past …

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A B

Visual metaphor:

‘e ui es ie e s eati it a d ields ultiple ea i gs

No conventional rules, no fixed traditions

Pe haps, so e suggestio s …

O , pe haps the just lead to ope uestio s …

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