Experiences of ineffable significance
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Nigel Fabb
Abstract
An ‘experience of ineffable significance’ is sudden feeling of knowing something very significant but which cannot be described in words, sometimes accompanied by chills or tears. Amongst its types are the sublime and (secular) ‘epiphanies’. Drawing on work by Huron and by Meyer, I propose that it is a type of surprise, arising from perceptions whose match to our schematic knowledge falls outside the normal range of discrepancy, either by radical discrepancy or by uncanny identity. Assuming a theoretical context of Relevance Theory, and drawing on work by Sperber and by Raffman, I explore some reasons how we are able to suddenly judge that the perception produces deeply significant knowledge, and why that knowledge cannot be expressed in words.
Abstract
An ‘experience of ineffable significance’ is sudden feeling of knowing something very significant but which cannot be described in words, sometimes accompanied by chills or tears. Amongst its types are the sublime and (secular) ‘epiphanies’. Drawing on work by Huron and by Meyer, I propose that it is a type of surprise, arising from perceptions whose match to our schematic knowledge falls outside the normal range of discrepancy, either by radical discrepancy or by uncanny identity. Assuming a theoretical context of Relevance Theory, and drawing on work by Sperber and by Raffman, I explore some reasons how we are able to suddenly judge that the perception produces deeply significant knowledge, and why that knowledge cannot be expressed in words.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section 1. Beyond meaning
- Beyond meaning NN and ostension 11
- Contrastive stress in English 29
- Presupposition effects 43
- Metaphor comprehension 61
-
Section 2. Beyond meaning
- Conceptual mappings and contextual assumptions 79
- An experiential view on what makes literature relevant 99
- Humorous means, serious messages 119
-
Section 3. Furthur beyond
- Experiences of ineffable significance 135
- Hushed tones 151
- Onomatopoeia, impressions and text on screen 161
- Before meaning 177
- Index 199
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section 1. Beyond meaning
- Beyond meaning NN and ostension 11
- Contrastive stress in English 29
- Presupposition effects 43
- Metaphor comprehension 61
-
Section 2. Beyond meaning
- Conceptual mappings and contextual assumptions 79
- An experiential view on what makes literature relevant 99
- Humorous means, serious messages 119
-
Section 3. Furthur beyond
- Experiences of ineffable significance 135
- Hushed tones 151
- Onomatopoeia, impressions and text on screen 161
- Before meaning 177
- Index 199
