Aristotle and Information Theory : A Comparison of the Influence of Causal Assumptions on Two Theories of Communication

Durs Grünbein is the most significant poet and essayist in German today. No other modern German poet has written from such an emphatically European and global perspective, and this volume seeks to present the poet and his work to the English-speaking world in all their significance and breadth. Written by a line-up of international scholars and critics, the volume offers highly readable and wide-ranging essays on Grünbein's substantial œuvre, complemented by specially commissioned material and an interview with the poet. It covers the German and European traditions, and engages with Grünbein's works in the context of a number of relevant topics, such as 'memory', 'urban life', 'mortality', 'love', and 'presence'; it also probes Grünbein's sustained dialogue with the natural sciences and the visual arts. Acknowledgments I. Introduction II. A Model of Aristotelian Causation Perfective Impulses Active and Acquiescent Powers Dynamic Re-Alignment Dynamic Equilibrium Tendency to Order Referential Grid Summary III. An Aristotelian Theory of Communication Institutional Contexts Modes of Proof Topical Aids to Speech Construction Summary IV. “Information Theory”: Causality and Criticism Definition of “Information Theory” The Concept of Entropy Epistemological Status Referential Grid Sources of Observed Change Statistical Relationships Entropy as a Causal Model of “Information Theory” Implications of the “Information Theory” / Causal Model for Rhetorical Criticism Summary V. A Comparison of Critical Perspectives Bibliography Index of Authors