Theory of Textuality

Jorge J. E. Gracia is Professor in the Department of Philosophy at State University of New York at Buffalo. His other works include Philosophy and Literature in Latin America: A Critical Assessment of the Current Situation (with Mireye Camurati); Individuality: An essay on the Foundations of Metaphysics; Philosophy and Its History: Issues in Philosophical Historiography; Individuation in Scholasticism: The Later Middle Ages and the Counter-Reformation, 1150–1650; and Individuation and Identity in Early Modern Philosophy: Descartes to Kant (with Kenneth F. Barber), all published by SUNY Press.

• Preface Introduction: The Issues I.  General Character of the IssuesII.  Overall OutlineA.  The Logic of TextsB.  The Epistemology of TextsPart I.  The Logic of Texts 1.  Intension I.  Elements in the Definition of TextsA.  Entities that Constitute Texts (ECTs)B.  SignsC.  Specific MeaningD.  IntentionE.  Selection and ArrangementF.  ContextII.  Conventionality of TextsIII.  Conclusion2.  Extension I.  Texts and LanguageII.  Texts and ArtifactsIII.  Texts and Art ObjectsIV.  Texts and WorksV.  Conclusion3.Taxonomy I.  Modal ClassificationA.  Actual Text1.  Historical Text2.  Contemporary Text3.  Intermediary TextB.  Intended TextC.  Ideal TextII.  Functional ClassificationA.  Linguistic Functions1.  Informative Texts2.  Directive Texts3.  Expressive Texts4.  Evaluative Texts5.  Performative TextsB.  Cultural Functions1.  Legal Texts2.  Literary Texts3.  Philosophical Texts4.  Scientific Texts5.  Religious Texts6.  Historical Texts7.  Political Texts8.  Pedagogical Texts9.  Confessional Texts10.  Entertaining Texts11.  Inspirational Texts12.  Pneumonic Texts13.  Other Functional Categories of TextsIII.  ConclusionPart II.  The Epistemology of Texts 4.  Understanding I.  Understanding versus MeaningII.  Number of UnderstandingsIII.  Understanding and Textual IdentityIV.  Limits of UnderstandingA.  Limits of Meaning1.  Essential and Accidental Differences in Meaning2.  Meaning and the Implications of Meaning3.  Meaning and IntentionsB.  Factors that Establish the Limits of Meaning1.  Author2.  Audience3.  Context4.  Society5.  Language6.  Text7.  Cultural FunctionC.  Limits of Textual UnderstandingD.  Legitimacy of Understanding Texts Differently than their Historical AuthorsV.  Truth Value and Objectivity of UnderstandingVI.  Conclusion5.  Interpretation I.  Nature and Ontological Status of InterpretationsII.  Interpreter's Dilemma and Function of InterpretationsA.  Historical FunctionB.  Meaning FunctionC.  Implicative FunctionIII.  Types of Interpretations: Textual vs. NontextualIV.  Number, Truth Value, and Objectivity of InterpretationsA.  Of Textual Interpretations1.  Number2.  Truth Value3.  Objectivity and SubjectivityB.  Of Nontextual InterpretationsV.  Understanding, Meaning, and Interpretation of InterpretationsVI.  Conclusion6.  Discernibility I.  How Do I Know that Something Is a Text?II.  How Do I Learn the Meaning of a Text?III.  How Can I Be Certain that I Know the Meaning of a Text?A.  Expected Behavior and Certainty in Textual UnderstandingB.ObjectionsC.  The Role of Tradition in the Discernibility of TextsIV.  ConclusionConclusion: A Theory of Texuality — Logic and Epistemology Notes Select Bibliography Index of Authors Index of Subjects

"Gracia shows in a very detailed manner, that it is now time for questions related to the status of texts (ontological status, metaphysical status, logical status, and epistemological status) to be taken as equally important to classic strands of analytic philosophy as these questions have been to more recent strands of Continental philosophy and literary criticism." — Gayle L. Ormiston, Kent State University"I don't know any other book like it. Gracia introduces a philosophical topology for a whole range of problems centered on language and textuality. He is careful in making very useful distinctions that help to cut through a lot of current confusion about interpretation." — Rudolf A. Makkreel, Emory University