Wittgenstein is an interesting philosopher to study. He is famous for his contribution to a different understanding of language, the concept is known as Language games. He wrote in his work 'Philosophical Investigation' that Language is a game. The meaning of any word depends on context. Some of his significant ideas about language are...
Poojaba Jadeja
Tuesday 5 April 2022
Wittgenstein on Language games
Sunday 3 April 2022
Substance dualism
In this age of technology, the mind is compared to the computer, why the metaphor of a computer is given to the human mind? Is it because it is too complex like a computer processor or is it because of its functions, how they work? The answer is here. It all starts with #Descartes #Substance dualism theory. Descartes says that the human mind is made of two substances- physical stuff and immaterial stuff. Immaterial stuff could not be traced by scientists. This immaterial substance affects the physical stuff of the body. For example, I know something about Substance theory and it leads me to post this on Facebook. Well, the answer to the question of how this immaterial substance causes an effect on physical movement is still unanswered. So, the functional theory suggests that one should look at the functionality of the mind instead of what it is made of.
The mind is a complex thing. It is made of something and what it does is entirely different. Similar to a computer, a computer is made of stuff like metal, other hardware, etc. but what it does; the programming is different than the material it is made of. This is one reason for the metaphor of the computer mind.
Nowadays computer is replacing the human mind. Machines are able to do what the human mind can. Contemporary computer philosophy has some interesting experiments to go through. Alan Turing’s #Turing_test in which, the same questions are asked to humans and computers to distinguish them, Searle’s experiment of the #Chinese_room is the best way to understand how a computer works. How it gets Input and output of the answer.
If you have any idea why the human mind is compared to the computer. Share your thoughts.
Wednesday 21 February 2018
એડમિશન
Monday 11 September 2017
Post colonialism in practice
What is Post-colonialism:
- Postcolonialism or postcolonial studies is an academic discipline that analyzes, explains, and responds to the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism. Postcolonialism speaks about the human consequences of external control and the economic exploitation of native people and their lands. (Wikipedia)
- Postcolonialism, the historical period or state of affairs representing the aftermath of Western colonialism; the term can also be used to describe the concurrent project to reclaim and rethink the history and agency of people subordinated under various forms of imperialism.
Colonialism:
- the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
- Colonialism occurs when a country or a nation takes control of other lands, regions, or territories outside of its borders (boundaries of the country) by turning those other lands, regions, or territories into a colony. Usually, it is a more powerful, richer country that takes control of a smaller, less powerful region or territory. (Wikipedia)
- the process by which a person, family, culture, or people is brought into the dominant Eurocentric/Western global society.
- The division and classification of human beings by physical and biological characteristics. Race often is used by various groups to either maintain power or to stress solidarity. In the 18th and19th centuries, it was often used as a pretext by European colonial powers for slavery and/or the "white man's burden."
- The Orient signifies a system of representations framed by political forces that brought the Orient into Western learning, Western consciousness, and Western empire. The Orient exists for the West and is constructed by and in relation to the West. It is a mirror image of what is inferior and alien (‘Other‘) to the West.
Students are supposed to
1. Choose any work of literature/film/art
2. Choose one or more concepts explained above and
3. Apply them to the work of art. Analyze how it represents the concept(s).
Thursday 17 August 2017
ELT Reading resources
English language teaching -approaches and methods (unit 3)
Reading resources and presentations for ELT approaches and methods are linked below.
Oral approach and situational language teaching