In philosophy, an aporia (Ancient Greek: ᾰ̓πορῐ́ᾱ, romanized: aporíā, lit. ‘literally: “
lacking passage
“, also: “impasse”, “difficulty in passage”, “puzzlement”‘) is a conundrum or state of puzzlement. In rhetoric, it is a declaration of doubt, made for rhetorical purpose and often feigned.
Writers use aporia
to show or describe uncertainty
. … A writer can use aporia to indicate genuine uncertainty and to lead readers through the speaker’s own thought process. A writer might also use a character’s expression of uncertainty as an opportunity for another character to answer a question or resolve a doubt.
What does aporia mean?
1 :
an expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty especially for rhetorical effect
. 2 : a logical impasse or contradiction especially : a radical contradiction in the import of a text or theory that is seen in deconstruction as inevitable.
Is aporia a good thing to Derrida?
Aporia plays a
big part
in the work of deconstruction theorists like Jacques Derrida, who use the term to describe a text’s most doubtful or contradictory moment. It’s the point at which the text has hit a brick wall when it comes to meaning. … But there’s also a more rhetorical side to aporia; it can be useful.
What does the word aporia mean and why is it important to the Hellenistic skeptics?
It negates the meaning of the root word, namely, poria. Poria comes from poros (πόρος), meaning a path, passage or way. So aporia simply
means, no path
. Being in a state of having no path, is the very impasse mentioned above.
What is meant by aphoristic?
1 :
a concise statement of a principle
. 2 : a terse formulation of a truth or sentiment : adage the high-minded aphorism, “Let us value the quality of life, not the quantity”
Who used the term aporia?
The words aporia and aporetic figure significantly and frequently in the writings of
the French philosopher Jacques Derrida
(1930-2004) and in the deconstructive school of literary and cultural theory which his work inspired. Originating in the Greek, aporia involves doubt, perplexity and that which is impassable.
What is the purpose of aporia?
Aporia is also a rhetorical device whereby the speaker expresses a doubt—often feigned—about his position or asks the audience rhetorically how he or she should proceed. One aim of aporia may be
to discredit the speaker’s opponent
. Aporia is also called dubitatio.
What is a paradox in literature?
The word “paradox” derives from the Greek word “paradoxons,” meaning contrary to expectation. In literature, a paradox is
a literary device that contradicts itself but contains a plausible kernel of truth
. … Paradox shares similar elements with two other literary terms: antithesis and oxymoron.
What is an example of chiasmus?
What is chiasmus? … Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted order. The sentence
“She has all my love; my heart belongs to her
,” is an example of chiasmus.
What are the main elements of deconstruction?
Elements of Deconstruction:
Differance, Dissemination, Destinerrance, And Geocatastrophe
.
What is the opposite of aporia?
Opposite of a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or
proposition
.
agreement
.
acceptance
.
accord
.
Why does euthyphro end in aporia?
And the Euthyphro ends in aporia (at an impasse)
because Socrates is unable to differentiate reverence adequately from justice
. … If (as seems the case) Socrates is never satisfied with a definition of a virtue, this may be because the virtues cannot be differentiated at all.
What is the theory of skepticism?
Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, in Western philosophy,
the attitude of doubting knowledge claims set forth in various areas
. Skeptics have challenged the adequacy or reliability of these claims by asking what principles they are based upon or what they actually establish.
Why is skepticism important in philosophy?
The key to skepticism is
to suspend your belief in others’ ethical judgments
until you’ve had the chance to work out your own judgments through rational, impartial deliberation. The point of skepticism is to avoid the kinds of traps you have read about in this chapter.
What is an example of skepticism?
The sales pitch seemed too good to be true, so he was skeptical.
The teacher was skeptical when Timmy told her the dog ate his homework
. After the politician said he would not raise taxes, the voters were skeptical. John was skeptical when the television ad said the cleaner would take out all stains.
