Last Minute Literature Joanna

Marie McGinn closely analysed Wittgenstein's usage and refutation of referentialist Saint Augustine in the Philosophical Investigations. Augustine outlined ostensive definition as a process of attributing external language to internal understanding, but Wittgenstein argues that this view is limited both by Augustine's limited examples and his philosophical desire for an essential truth that doesn't exist. Wittgenstein believes word die in abstraction.  

This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by Dr. Stephen Chadwick at Massey University as part of the course 134.317: Recent and Contemporary Philosophy. 

Reference:

McGinn, M. (1997). Wittgenstein's critique of Augustine. In Routledge Philosophy guidebook to Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations, (pp.36 - 72). Routledge. 

Apocololcyntosis is a Menippean satire that sharply criticises the deification of Claudius. The suspected poet, Seneca, had been exiled for having an affair with Claudius’ wife Messalina, perhaps contributing to the satire’s scathing presentation of the emperor.  This biased and entertaining fictional account, while not presenting any historical events, may offer an insight into the discourse surrounding Claudius’ death.

This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by the lecturers at Massey University as part of the course 201.314: Imperial Rome.



References

Dio. (1915). Roman history (Cary, E., Trans). In Dio’s Roman history. Loeb Classical Library. https://lexundria.com/dio/60.14/cy  (Original work published ca. 233AD)

Seneca. (1902). Apocololcyntosis (Ball, Trans.). Columbia University Press.  http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/apocolocyntosis.html (Original work published ca. 2nd Century AD)

Suetonius. (1914). The life of Claudius (Rolfe, Trans.). The twelve Caesars, (pp.3 – 83). Loeb Classical Library. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Claudius*.html (Original work published ca. 121AD)

Suetonius. (1914). The life of Nero (Rolfe, Trans.). The twelve Caesars, (pp.87 – 187). Loeb Classical Library. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Nero*.html (Original work published ca. 121AD)

Tacitus. (1942). Annals (Church, Brodribb, & Bryant, Trans.). In Complete works of Tacitus. Random House. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0078 (Original work published ca. 2nd Century AD)

A Gobbet analysis takes a close look at a section of a text. Publius Ovidius Naso (Ovid)’s Metamorphosis writes in support of Augustus. The poets under the patronage of Gaius Maecenas, a political supporter and friend of the Caesar, offer a biased but interesting account of the values Augustus wished to perpetuate, namely his fated divinity, peaceful nature, and the immorality of Marcus Antony.

This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by the lecturers at Massey University as part of the course 201.314: Imperial Rome. 



References

Appian. (1899). The civil wars (White, Trans.). MacMillian & Co.

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0551.tlg017.perseus-eng1:1.0.5. (Original work published ca. 2nd Century AD)

Augustus. (2003). Res gestae (Wilson, B.W.J.G., Trans.) In The age of Augustus, (pp. 23-35). Association of Classical Teachers. (Original work published ca. 14AD)

Ovid. (1922). Metamorphosis (More, Trans.). Cornhill Publishing Co.  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028%3Abook%3D15%3Acard%3D745 (Original work published ca. 8AD)

Potter, J. (2014). Rome in the ancient world: From Romulus to Justinian (2nd ed.). Thames & Hudson.

Suetonius. (1913). The life of Augustus (Rolfe, Trans.). In The twelve Caesars, (pp.123 – 287). Loeb Classical Library. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html (Original work published ca. 121AD)

Vergil. (1697). Aeneid (Dryden, Trans.) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0052%3Abook%3D6%3Acard%3D756 (Original work published ca. 19BC)

Descartes' understanding of pain has contributed to great discussions not only of his mind-body separation but of his thoughts on whether other creatures beyond humans can even experience it. His thoughts, as always, are shaped by his religious beliefs, and strict adherence to philosophy that operates in support of his belief in God. Today we will analyse selections of Descartes' writings and discuss how close analysis of his theories can be used to understand how emotions can shape experience. 

This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by the lecturers at Massey University as part of the course 134.216: Modern Philosophy.

References

Descartes, R. (1909). Discourse on the method of rightly conducting the reason and seeking for truth in the sciences (Eliot, C. W. Trans.). P. F. Collier & Sons. (Original work published 1637)

Descartes, R. (1911). Notes directed against a certain programme. In Haldine, E.S., & Ross, G. R. T. (Eds.) Philosophical works of Descartes, (pp.429 – 450).Cambridge University Press. https://archive.org/details/philosophicalwor01desc/page/430/mode/2up. (Original work published 1641)

Descartes, R. (1931). Meditations on first philosophy. In Haldine, E.S., & Ross, G. R. T. (Eds.) Philosophical works of Descartes, (pp.131-199). Dover Publications. (Original work published 1641)

Descartes, R. (1985). Optics. In Cottingham, Stoothoff, & Murdoch (Trans.) The philosophical writings of Descartes, (pp.152 – 175). Cambridge University Press. (Originally published in 1637)

Descartes, R. (2017). To Mersenne, 18.iii. In Bennett, J. (Ed.) Selected Correspondence of Descartes. Early Modern Texts. Retrieved from https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/descartes1619_1.pdf. (Original works published 1619 – 1650)

Garber, D. (1993). Descartes and occasionalism. In Nadler, S. (Ed.) Causation in early modern philosophy: Cartesianism, Occasionalism, and preestablished harmony, (pp.9 – 26). Pennsylvania University Press.

Laura Mulvey, a feminist film critic from the 1980s, utilises aspects of Freudian psychoanalysis to unpack the objectification of women in film. One of these theories is scopophilia - an experience of visual pleasure through the voyeuristic presentation of another on screen. Mulvey argues that the presentation of women plays into the perpetuation of hegemonic, patriarchal power structures. She outlines that while man is presented as an ego ideal we identify with, woman is presented as only an infatuation, to either distract or motivate her male counterpart. This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by the lecturers at Massey University as part of the course 154.302: Gender and Race in the Media.

Mulvey, L. (1989). Visual pleasure and Narrative cinema. In Visual and other pleasures: (language, discourse, society), (pp. 6-18). Palgrave MacMillan.

As we challenge and develop our understanding of the physical and metaphysical worlds, we are bound to encounter theory that can now be either proven or disproven. Today we will analyse Butterfield's writings on the value of understanding Aristotelian physics, and discuss how close analysis of even incorrect modes of thinking can be beneficial to understanding how mental frameworks can limit future growth and innovation. This research is initiated by and based on resources provided by the lecturers at Massey University as part of the course 134.216: Modern Philosophy. 

REFERENCE LIST

Aristotle (1984). Metaphysics Z. In Barnes, J. (Ed.), Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 1: The Revised Oxford Translation. (pp. 1623 - 32). Princeton University Press.

Aristotle (1984). Physics Book II. In Barnes, J. (Ed.), Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 1: The Revised Oxford Translation. (pp. 329 - 42). Princeton University Press.

Butterfield, H. (1962). Introduction. In Bell, G. (Ed.), The Origins of Modern Science 1300 - 1800 (pp.vii - x). George Bell & Sons Ltd.

Butterfield, H. (1962) The Historical Importance of a Theory of Impetus. In Bell, G. (Ed.), The Origins of Modern Science 1300 - 1800 (pp.1 - 16). George Bell & Sons Ltd.

Kuhn, T. S. (1957) The Copernican Revolution. Harvard University Press. 

LOWI. (2015, April 24). [Aristotle having an idea] in Lowi deja a Aristóteles sin palabras.[Image]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI7aBczF5BU&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=Lowi