The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language

This article deals with Donald Davidson’s concept of metaphor and Richard Rorty’s use of it for his version of political liberalism. Rorty assumes that metaphor is a linguistic element that is impossible to understand. Metaphor is an unintelligible “call” that, from within the private sphere, provok...

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Main Author: Sonia Arribas
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Universidad Complutense de Madrid 2007-06-01
Series:Logos
Subjects:
Online Access:http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ASEM/article/view/16467
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author Sonia Arribas
author_facet Sonia Arribas
author_sort Sonia Arribas
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description This article deals with Donald Davidson’s concept of metaphor and Richard Rorty’s use of it for his version of political liberalism. Rorty assumes that metaphor is a linguistic element that is impossible to understand. Metaphor is an unintelligible “call” that, from within the private sphere, provokes in individuals the desire to create alternative forms of life. Once metaphor has become literal, it –and the new form of life that it entails– can form part of public life. Metaphor is the guarantee of the constant renewal of political liberalism. As against Rorty, yet also relying on Davidson, I argue that both metaphor and literal meaning are comprehensible, and must therefore be said to exist in a relationship of mutuality. This allows me to subject to a thorough re-elaboration Rorty’s strict internal division of the political along the lines of the public and the private.
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spelling doaj.art-e728566045ba41cbbc237313be1f6ecb2022-12-21T23:39:56ZdeuUniversidad Complutense de MadridLogos1575-68661988-32422007-06-014030532816482The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of LanguageSonia ArribasThis article deals with Donald Davidson’s concept of metaphor and Richard Rorty’s use of it for his version of political liberalism. Rorty assumes that metaphor is a linguistic element that is impossible to understand. Metaphor is an unintelligible “call” that, from within the private sphere, provokes in individuals the desire to create alternative forms of life. Once metaphor has become literal, it –and the new form of life that it entails– can form part of public life. Metaphor is the guarantee of the constant renewal of political liberalism. As against Rorty, yet also relying on Davidson, I argue that both metaphor and literal meaning are comprehensible, and must therefore be said to exist in a relationship of mutuality. This allows me to subject to a thorough re-elaboration Rorty’s strict internal division of the political along the lines of the public and the private.http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ASEM/article/view/16467RortyDavidsonmetaphorpoliticslanguage
spellingShingle Sonia Arribas
The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
Logos
Rorty
Davidson
metaphor
politics
language
title The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
title_full The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
title_fullStr The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
title_full_unstemmed The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
title_short The Call of Metaphor: Richard Rorty’s Politics of Language
title_sort call of metaphor richard rorty s politics of language
topic Rorty
Davidson
metaphor
politics
language
url http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ASEM/article/view/16467
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