McGill-Queen's University Press The Experience of Meaning

The aim of this book is a recovery of interest in the experience of meaning. Jan Zwicky defends the claim that we experience meaning in the apprehension of wholes and their internal structural relations, providing examples of such insight in mathematics and physics, literature, music, and Plato's ancient theory of forms. Taken together, these essays constitute a powerful indictment of the aggressive reductionism and the reliance on calculative modes of thought that dominate our present conception of understanding. The Experience of Meaning proposes a more just epistemology, arguing for a new grammar of thought, a new way of understanding the relationship of human intelligence to the world. Engaging with philosophy, psychology, literature, fine arts, music, and environmental studies in a profound way, The Experience of Meaning will interest any reader who ponders the question of meaning and its relation to true human expression. Review "Rich and thought-provoking, The Experience of Meaning will change the way you see the world. I literally could not put this book down and I think all readers will be as entranced as I was, although it may resonate differently in each of them." Marjorie Senechal, Smith College "The Experience of Meaning is a courageous, profound book – broad in scope, yet scholarly and concise. It is truly a joy to read." Nina Belmonte, University of Victoria From the Author Jan Zwicky, an internationally recognized poet and scholar, has held appointments at numerous universities including Princeton, the University of Alberta, and the University of Victoria. She is the author of several books, including Alkibiades' Love: Essays in Philosophy. About the Author Jan Zwicky is an internationally recognized poet and independent scholar. She has held appointments at numerous universities including Princeton, the University of Alberta, and the University of Victoria.