Abstract
Gendlin proposes experiential concepts as bridges between phenomenology and logical formulation. His method moves back and forth, aiming to increase both natural understanding and logical formulation. On thesubjective side, the concepts requiredirect reference tofelt orimplicit meaning. There is no equivalence between this and the logical side. Rather, in logical “explication”, the implicit iscarried forward, a relation shown by many functions. The subjective is no inner parallel. It performsspecific functions in language. Once these are located, they also lead to developments on the formulated side.
To show some of this, Gendlin modifies Lakoff and Johnson's theory of metaphor, and expands it into a theory of all language use. He denies that a metaphor consists of a pattern or image, shared by two situations. There is only one situation — the metaphoric one. The original situation is actually a family of many uses (in the Wittgensteinian sense). As in all speech, a word makes sense only as its use-family “crosses” with an actual situation in the actual spot in a sentence. Subjectively, a metaphor means this crossing. From it, long chains of new similarities and differences can be generated. Ways to study the functions and features of thiscrossing are proposed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Galbraith, M. (1989), ‘What Everbody Knew Versus What Maisie Knew: The Change in Epistemological Perspective from the Prologue to the Opening of Chapter I’,Style 23(2).
Gendlin, E.T. (1991), ‘Thinking Beyond Patterns: Body, Language, and Situation,’ in den Ouden, B. and Moen, M. eds.,The Presence of Feeling in Thought, New York: Peter Lang.
Gendlin, E.T. (1987), ‘A Philosophical Critique of the Concept of Narcissism’, Chapter in Levin, D.M., ed.,Pathologies of the Modern Self: Postmodern Studies. New York: New York University Press.
Gendlin, E.T. (1986), ‘What Comes After Traditional Psychotherapy Research?’,Amer. Psychologist 41(2), pp. 131–136.
Gendlin, E.T. (1986b), ‘LetYour Body Interpret Your Dreams. Wilmette: Chiron.
Gendlin, E.T. (1981),Focusing. New York: Bantam Books.
Gendlin, E.T. (1962, 1970),Experiencing and the Creation of Meaning. New York: Macmillan; Northwestern U. Press 1996, in press.
Gilligan, C. and Wiggins, G. (1987), ‘The Origins of Morality in Early Childhood Relationships’, in Johnson, M.,The Body in the Mind. U. of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. and Johnson, M. (1980),Metaphors We Live By, Chicago: U of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. (1987),Women, Fire and Dangerous Things. Chicago: U of Chicago Press.
Sterner, W.H. (1990), ‘Computer Programming, Corricular Pluralisms, and the Liberal Art’, Paper presented atSystematic Pluralism: An Interdisciplinary Conference, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. April 1990.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gendlin, E.T. Crossing and dipping: Some terms for approaching the interface between natural understanding and logical formulation. Mind Mach 5, 547–560 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00974985
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00974985