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IALS CONFERENCE
A GAME OF THEORIES October 22-24, 2021 |
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The theory of “Three Worlds” by Henri Van Lier as a possible research tool for fiction |
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Screenshot of some participants. Natalia Belozerova appears in the bottom right corner. |
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Presentation overview Among others, Natalia Belozerova broached the following points :
Presentation abstract The notion of “Three Worlds” runs through the entire book Anthropogenie (2010) by Belgian philosopher Henri Van Lier, and semantically cements its chapters. According to this theory, the first World presents the realm of the near continuum (prehistory and first empires) that falls into pre-literal period or “1A- continuum a-scriptural” and “Rising of Writing” period or “1B- continuum scriptural”, the second World depicts the distant continuum, particularly since Antiquity, Greece, Rome until the 20th century, the third World refers to the “discontinuous”, caused by the technological development. The content of Anthropogenie suggests that Henri van Lier described his “Three Worlds” not as a chronological process but as an anthropogenic one. He presented the evolution of Homo as a “techno-semiotic mammal” whose biological nature has been enhanced by the ability to interpret signs. With the purpose to verify how far this theory can be implemented as a possible research tool for fiction, three novels that do not fall into the category of classical narrative are taken for the textual analysis: (1) Et moi, je vis toujours ("And I am still alive") by Jean d’Ormesson (2018) is a first-person narrative, presenting the autobiography of History itself; (2) Civilizations (2019) by Laurent Binet develops the “would-have–been” mode of notorious events coming out, with the Incas invading Europe; (3) Out of the Gray. A Concerto for Neurons and Synapses (2011) by Manaucher Parvin, a stream-of-consciousness “academic” narrative that renders hopes and fears, as well as mental diseases typical for the world of technological discontinuity presented by Henri van Lier in his Anthropogenie. | ||||||
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Browseable and downloadable materials
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Footnote / Commentary To become familiar with the concepts of WORLD 1, 2, 3, the following documents may be useful:
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