Susanne K. Langers “Mind: An Essay on Human Feeling.” Eine späte Wiederentdeckung
Gestalt Theory December 18, 2023 DOI: 10.2478/gth-2023-0007 (opens in new tab) via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSusanne K. Langer's three-volume work 'Mind: An Essay on Human Feeling' (1967, 1972, 1982) presents a theory of consciousness rooted in feeling, symbolization, and Gestalt. Langer argues that human feeling is the fundamental basis of mind, and that symbolic processes—especially in art and language—emerge from organic, biological rhythms. Her work challenges the male-dominated consciousness research of her time by centering aesthetics and emotion rather than rational cognition. The text highlights Langer's bold entry into this field a century ago and notes that her final major work remains untranslated into German.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Sk langer Gestalt Symbolisierung Fühlen |
| Key finding | Argues that Susanne K. Langer made a significant but underrecognized contribution to consciousness theory through her work on human feeling and mind. |
Abstract
It is about 100 Years ago that the German-American philosopher Susanne K. Langer started a bold and courageous appearance on the stage of consciousness-research - until then exclusively dominated by male and paternalistic figures. This contribution is to highlight SK Langers work and impact on the theory of consciousness, especially on her final three volume publication: “Mind. An Essay on Human Feeling” (1967, 1972, 1982) which, until now, has not been translated into German.