Home » Seminars 2018-2019 » Seminars 2011-2012

How speech-acts are conquering the world

  • user warning: Table 'cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '2:8cc8d421204b755fcec5bd97ea0a274c' in /home2/secrecco/www/includes/cache.inc on line 26.
  • user warning: Table 'cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<h1 class=\"rtecenter\"><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">How speech-acts are conquering the world</font></h1>\n<p class=\"rtecenter\"><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">&nbsp;<span class=\"gI\"><span class=\"gD\"><a href=\"http://www.lukvanlangenhove.be/\"><strong>Luk van Langenhove</strong></a></span></span><strong><span class=\"gI\"><span class=\"gD\">&nbsp; (</span></span>CRIS, United Nations University)</strong></font></p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">&nbsp;</font></div>\n<h2><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\"><font face=\"tahoma\">Abstract:</font></font></h2>\n<p><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\"> </font></p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">This talk is about the ontology of the social realm. It will be argued that the \'substance\' of the social world&nbsp;is made out of speech-acts. They can be regarded as the equivalent of what matter is for the natural world. But where matter can be situated in an Euclidean time-space grid, speech-acts exist in a different grid that is non-Euclidean. As such, speech-acts constantly shape a \'parallel universe\' to the natural world: a social world that allows persons and institutions to exist and interact. In that world causality exists next to intentionality.</font></div>\n<p><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\"> </font></p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">&nbsp;</font></div>\n<p><font size=\"2\" face=\"tahoma\">Furthermore, it will be argued that in the course of the history of mankind, speech-acts have found technological devices to become more independent of people. They can now \'travel\' instantly across the planet or stay dormant for many years and come back to live again. Together, the universe of speech acts form a world wide web that envelops all people on Earth.</font></p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">Finally , the question will be raised if this metaphorical view of the substance of the social realm can be pushed further: are we entering a new era in which speech-acts can interact with other speech-acts without persons as intermediates?</div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;</div>\n<h2><font face=\"tahoma\">References:</font></h2>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font face=\"tahoma\">Van Langenhove, L. (2007). <strong>Innovating the Social Sciences</strong>. Vienna: Passagen.</font></div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font face=\"tahoma\">Van Langenhove, L. (2010). <strong>People and Societies</strong>. London: Routledge.</font></div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font face=\"tahoma\">Van Langenhove, L. (2012). Make social sciences relevant, <strong>Nature</strong>, vol 484, p. 442.</font></div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;</div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;</div>\n<h2>The Speaker:</h2>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><font face=\"tahoma\">Bio: see: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.lukvanlangenhove.be/biography.php\"> http://www.lukvanlangenhove.<wbr></wbr>be/biography.php</a></font></div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;</div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">&nbsp;</div>\n<h2>Slides of the talk:</h2>\n<p>See:&nbsp;</p>\n<p><a href=\"http://ecco.vub.ac.be/sites/all/files/How speech-acts are concquering the world.pdf\">Slides</a>\n</p><p>&nbsp;</p>\n', created = 1638614055, expire = 1638700455, headers = '', serialized = 0 WHERE cid = '2:8cc8d421204b755fcec5bd97ea0a274c' in /home2/secrecco/www/includes/cache.inc on line 109.
Submitted by Weaver Silken on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 23:41

 

How speech-acts are conquering the world

 Luk van Langenhove  (CRIS, United Nations University)

 

Abstract:

This talk is about the ontology of the social realm. It will be argued that the 'substance' of the social world is made out of speech-acts. They can be regarded as the equivalent of what matter is for the natural world. But where matter can be situated in an Euclidean time-space grid, speech-acts exist in a different grid that is non-Euclidean. As such, speech-acts constantly shape a 'parallel universe' to the natural world: a social world that allows persons and institutions to exist and interact. In that world causality exists next to intentionality.

 

Furthermore, it will be argued that in the course of the history of mankind, speech-acts have found technological devices to become more independent of people. They can now 'travel' instantly across the planet or stay dormant for many years and come back to live again. Together, the universe of speech acts form a world wide web that envelops all people on Earth.

 

 

 

Finally , the question will be raised if this metaphorical view of the substance of the social realm can be pushed further: are we entering a new era in which speech-acts can interact with other speech-acts without persons as intermediates?
 

References:

Van Langenhove, L. (2007). Innovating the Social Sciences. Vienna: Passagen.
Van Langenhove, L. (2010). People and Societies. London: Routledge.
Van Langenhove, L. (2012). Make social sciences relevant, Nature, vol 484, p. 442.
 
 

The Speaker:

 
 

Slides of the talk:

See: 

Slides

 

»