Aarhus University Press Surplus of Meaning: A Study of Symbols and Ideas of Symbolism

The concept of symbolism makes an obvious topic for a history of ideas, and from this perspective, the book aims to fill a gap between a study of symbols, on the one hand, and influential theories on the general concept of symbolism, on the other. I develop a fourfold differentiation of what I call symbolicity, distinguishing between symbols that refer to something other than themselves (Sr), symbols that participate ontologically in what they represent (Sp), symbols that are conventionally determined as cultural tokens (Sc), and finally symbols that have a basis in immediate experience (Si). The work concentrates on material aspects of symbolism, choosing the esoteric universe of alchemy and the religious adoration of statues as case studies. The main argument is that our human encounter with the world is bound to create a surplus of meaning. In this respect an opposition between regarding symbolism as primed by the mind and symbolism as affected by something ‘more’ has haunted human thinking up to this day. My aim is to create an analytical and philosophical framework for getting beyond such distinction.