Journal ArticleDOI
A dictionary without definitions: romanticist science in the production and presentation of the Grimm brothers' German dictionary, 1838-1863.
TLDR
It is claimed that the Grimm brothers' dictionary can be best understood as an artifact of romanticist science and its epistemological privileging of subjective perception coupled with a deeply-held faith in inter-subjective congruence.Abstract:
Between 1838 and 1863 the Grimm brothers led a collaborative research project to create a new kind of dictionary documenting the history of the German language. They imagined the work would present a scientific account of linguistic cohesiveness and strengthen German unity. However, their dictionary volumes (most of which were arranged and written by Jacob Grimm) would be variously criticized for their idiosyncratic character and ultimately seen as a poor, and even prejudicial, piece of scholarship. This paper argues that such criticisms may reflect a misunderstanding of the dictionary. I claim it can be best understood as an artifact of romanticist science and its epistemological privileging of subjective perception coupled with a deeply-held faith in inter-subjective congruence. Thus situated, it is a rare and detailed case of Romantic ideas and ideals applied to the scientific study of social artifacts. Moreover, the dictionary's organization, reception, and legacy provide insights into the changing landscape of scientific practice in Germany, showcasing the difficulties of implementing a romanticist vision of science amidst widening gaps between the public and professionals, generalists and specialists.read more
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THE ANATOMY OF A SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION: THE PARIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 1666–1803. By Roger Hahn. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1971. 433 pp. $12.00
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Collecting and Historical Consciousness in Early Nineteenth-Century Germany: Crane, Susan A.: Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 195 pp., Publication Date: August 2000
TL;DR: Vincent argues that the modem state and mass literacy always existed in a relationship of mutual dependency but the relationship was not always straightforward as mentioned in this paper, and argues convincingly that rather than destroying the oral tradition of storytelling in traditional societies, the growth of literacy in some cases enhanced it, at least initially, as newly literate village storytellers had access to chapbooks and other sources.
References
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Book
The Postnational Constellation: Political Essays
Jürgen Habermas,Max Pensky +1 more
TL;DR: The Postnational Constellation as mentioned in this paper explores the historical and political origins of national identity, the achievements and catastrophes of the twentieth century, the future of democracy in the wake of the era of the nation-state, the political and moral challenges facing the European Union, and the status of global human rights in the ongoing debate on the sources of cultural identity.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Function of Measurement in Modern Physical Science
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