Social Affordances and the Possibility of Ecological Linguistics |
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Authors: | Tetsuya Kono |
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Institution: | (1) Rikkyo University Department of Education, Tokyo, Japan |
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Abstract: | This paper includes an effort to extend the notion of affordance from a philosophical point of view the importance of ecological
approach for social psychology, ethics, and linguistics. Affordances are not always merely physical but also interpersonal
and social. I will conceptualize affordance in general and social affordance in particular, and will elucidate the relation
between intentional action and affordances, and that between affordances and free will. I will also focus on the relation
between social institution and affordance. An extended theory of affordances can provide a way to analyze in concrete ways
how social institution works as an implicit background of interpersonal interactions. Ecological approach considers social
institution as the producer and maintainer of affordances. Social institutions construct the niches for human beings. Finally,
I will argue the possibility of the ecological linguistics. Language is a social institution. The system of signs is the way
to articulate and differentiate interpersonal affordances. Language acquires its meaning, i.e. communicative power in the
interpersonal interactions, and interpersonal interactions, in turn, develop and are elaborated through the usage of signs.
Communication is seen as never aimed to transmit inner ideas to others, but to guide and adjust the behaviors of others thorough
articulating the affordance of responsible-ness. |
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Keywords: | |
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