G4 Doctoral dissertation (monograph)
Merkitys opettamisen ja oppimisen näkökulmasta : Wittgensteinin myöhäisfilosofian ja pragmatismin valossa (1989)
Meaning from the point of view of teaching and learning in the light of Wittgenstein's later philosophy and pragmatism

Aaltola, J. (1989). Merkitys opettamisen ja oppimisen näkökulmasta : Wittgensteinin myöhäisfilosofian ja pragmatismin valossa (69) [Doctoral dissertation]. Jyväskylän yliopisto. Jyväskylä studies in education, psychology and social research. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-8314-7

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Aaltola, Juhani

ISBN: 978-951-39-8314-7

Journal or series: Jyväskylä studies in education, psychology and social research

ISSN: 0075-4625

Publication year: 1989

Volume: 69

Number of pages in the book: 951-680-086-6

Publisher: Jyväskylän yliopisto

Place of Publication: Jyväskylä

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

Persistent website address: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-8314-7

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Abstract

The main motive of this study arises from the belief that an advanced analysis of meaning forms a fundamental viewpoint that provides a starting point for e.g. widening the views of the study of man and education and developing them further. In an advanced analysis of meaning man does not study only the language, he studies himself: his aims and possibilities. The basic theme of the study consists of an analysis of the concept of meaning in the light of Wittgenstein' s later philosophy and of pragmatism. At the same time, Wittgenstein' s relationship to pragmatism is discussed. The relation of the concept of meaning to teaching and learning is a special viewpoint. An important sub-theme of the study is an attempt to analyze the basics of the educational concept of man through the concept of meaning. An even wider heuristic aim is to stimulate reassessment and development of the basic concepts of the study of man. Wittgenstein's early philosophy is the starting point of the analysis of meaning. The analysis is, however, clearly focused on Wittgenstein's later philosophy. The pragmatic philosopher that is most widely included in the study is William James, whose works Wittgenstein often referred to. The references to other pragmatists and other researchers have been made - not aiming at systematic comparison - but in a pedagogic sense, to understand how Wittgenstein's thoughts were formed and to see the divergent connections. Most of the sources of the study are limited to the tradition of analytic philosophy, in which the analysis of meaning has been one of the main themes of this century. The actual objects of the study, Wittgenstein's later philosophy and pragmatism, however, free us from this "limitation". On the basis of the analysis of meaning, the study outlines a "dialogic human concept", the nucleus of which is the concept of the inner sociality of man.

Keywords: philosophy; philosophy of education; theories of upbringing; language development; use of language; philosophy of language; language-games; children (age groups); meanings (semantics); teaching and instruction; pragmatism; psychology; semantics; doctoral dissertations

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes