Alois Pichler: What is a Text?

Sammendrag

"My talk originates in research on the concept of text in digital humanities contexts. At this instituttsseminar, however, I will focus exclusively on philosophical matters. More specifically, I will deal with questions of the ontological status of texts. Are texts objects? Or rather properties? Or something even more different? I will end by suggesting that texts are events. More specifically, I will argue that texts are actions co-produced by authors and readers. One categorical distinction that leads me to this view is the one between writing and "texting"; another one the distinction between documents and texts; and a third one the Wittgensteinian distinction between signs and symbols.

Here's an outline of my talk:

I.      Some definitions and distinctions
1.       Document carrier ≠ Document ≠ Text
2.       Writing ≠ Texting
3.       Sign ≠  Symbol

II.     Ontology
1.      Objects, properties, events and actions
2.      Texts as objects
•       Texts as types
•       The FRBR ontology
•       Texts as immaterial objects
3.      Texts as properties
4.      Stocktaking
•       Why texts are rather not objects
•       Why texts are rather not properties
5.      Texts as events
•       Texts as actions"