TY - JOUR AU - Weber, Michel PY - 2016/05/23 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Symbolism, Its Meaning and Effect: The Universal Algebra of Culture JF - Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy JA - Cosmos and History VL - 12 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - UR - http://cosmosandhistory.org/index.php/journal/article/view/484 SP - 350-377 AB - <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--> <p>The paper questions the meaning and significance of Whitehead's theory of symbolism from the perspective of (i) Whitehead's philosophical development, of (ii) the argument provided in <em>Symbolism, Its Meaning and Effect</em> (1927), and of (iii) the history of ideas.</p> <p>The argument follows the general structure of <a name="OLE_LINK49">the <em>Symbolism</em></a><em> </em>lectures: first, the topic is introduced; second, it is analyzed through an ontological lens; third, the uses of symbolism are consequently sketched. Our discussion departs from Whitehead's in this third part, that introduces a humanistic standpoint through five conceptual knots: the distinction between the early (High) and the late (Low) Renaissance, the underground survival of the <a name="OLE_LINK11">High Renaissance</a>'s values (with Is. Newton and J. Toland), Pantheism (a.k.a. Nature Enthusiasm), Republicanism (or Civic Humanism) and Freemasonry (<em>qua</em> Discrete Fraternity). In conclusion, Whitehead's underground inclination for modernity is underlined.</p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}</style> <![endif]--> ER -