Cultural Software · A Theory of Ideology by Balkin, J.M. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Front Matter Title Page Colophon Dedication Preface 1. Tools of Understanding

Ideology and the Philosophy of Culture Why Software? The Problem of Shared Understandings Cultural Software and the Construction of Persons Historical Existence and Cultural Construction

2. Bricolage and the Construction Of Cultural Software

What Is a Cultural Tool? Cultural Software and the Articulation of Values Bricolage and the Creation of Cultural Software Cultural Bricolage as a Form of Evolution Analogies Between Cultural Bricolage and Biological Evolution

3. Memetic Evolution

Memes and the Evolution of Cultural Software Memes as Populations Memetic Variation Problems of Transmission Memes as Filters Memes as Viruses Memes as Symbionts Memes in Conventions and Institutions

4. The Spread of Cultural Software

Why Memes Survive and Spread

Substantive Factors Psychological Factors

Memory and Comprehension Ease of Communication Reflexive Beliefs

Ecological Factors

Sexual Selection and Bandwagon Effects Institutional Authority Institutional Context

Shared Understandings and Lines of Memetic Descent Cultural Separation and Speciation The Economy of Cultural Software The Distribution of Cultural Software

5. Conceptions of Ideology

The Object of Study The Focus of Study What Kinds of Effects: Hegemony or Unjust Power? Ideological Analysis and Normative Commitment

6. Ambivalence and Self-reference

Self-Reference and Self-Criticism Reason as Cultural Heuristic Developed Through History

7. Transcendence

Defining Transcendent Values Transcendental Arguments for Transcendent Values Cultural Relativism and Imperialist Universalism Transcendent Values and Positive Norms Transcendence of Value Versus Transcendence of Position The Muse of Justice Do All Cultures Have a Concept of Justice? Pragmatism and Historicism

8. Cultural Heuristics

Mechanisms Hot and Cold Cultural Heuristics for Understanding Human Action

9. Narrative Expectations

Narratives as Networks of Expectations Narratives as Norms Narratives as Stock Stories Personal Narratives Group Narratives Narratives and Justice Narratives and the Canonical Narratives That Make Themselves True

10. Homologies and Associations

Semiotic Systems as Cultural Software Structuralist Homologies Mediation, Subcategorization, and Nesting Homologies and Hierarchies The Economy of Oppositional Logic Nested Privileging Categories as Nested Oppositions Suppression and Projection

11. Metaphor, Metonymy, and Cognitive Models

Cognitive Models Metaphoric Models Ideological Effects of Metaphoric Reasoning Metonymic Models Cognitive Models of Categorization

Overgeneralization Prototypes as Indicators of Relative Prevalence Salient Examples Prototypes as Default Characterizations Asymmetrical Inferences from Prototypes to Non-prototypes Prototypes as Reference Points Prototypes as Evaluative Norms

12. The Power of Understanding

The Study of Ideology as the Study of Power Cultural Software and Power/Knowledge Cultural Software as an Alternative to Power/Knowledge Mechanisms of Hermeneutic Power The Economy of Hermeneutic Power Hermeneutic Subjection as a Source of Freedom

13. Knowledge Made Flesh

Our Informational Existence The Career of Reason

Notes

Chapter 1. Tools of Understanding Chapter 2. Bricolage and the Construction Of Cultural Software Chapter 3. Memetic Evolution Chapter 4. The Spread of Cultural Software Chapter 5. Conceptions of Ideology Chapter 6. Ambivalence and Self-reference Chapter 7. Transcendence Chapter 8. Cultural Heuristics Chapter 9. Narrative Expectations Chapter 10. Homologies and Associations Chapter 11. Metaphor, Metonymy, and Cognitive Models Chapter 12. The Power of Understanding Chapter 13. Knowledge Made Flesh