Project Details
Projekt
GRK 1185: Forms of Life and the Know How of Living
Subject Area
Literary Studies
Philosophy
Philosophy
Term
from 2005 to 2014
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 818681
The Research Training Group investigates into theories, practices and arts of knowing immanent in life. In contrast to lines of thought that allege a purely external relation of life and knowledge, the programme intends to outline a knowing how of living that can only be formed in the process of life itself and relates to a life, that can only be led by reference to knowledge.
The Research Training Group introduces and investigates a concept, Lebenswissen , that may be considered as constitutive of Kulturwissenschaft : the know-how of life is one of the central concerns of cultural analysis. The kind of knowledge called Lebenswissen is neither identical with that of the bio- or life sciences, nor does it coincide with the older philosophies of life and culture as advocated for more than a century by humanities and social sciences alike. The objectivism of the biosciences refers to life as a functional process without necessity of any knowledge of itself. It is aware of itself only in a metaphorical sense, to the extent, namely, that functional processes are self-referential. Contrary to this functional limitation of self-referentiality, cultural analysis deals with life in its social forms as forms of life in which consciousness, practice and responsible action are developed and stabilised in routines and experiences, concepts and metaphors, texts and images, laws and norms, archives and traditions. In the older humanities and social sciences, traditional interest in human knowledge took the embeddedness of individual features, conceptions and dynamics, for granted; in proceeding from what counts as given in continuation of the Research Training Group Representation, Rhetoric, Knowledge this programme serves the methodological foundation of the faculties of Kulturwissenschaft in Brandenburg. In deepening the theoretical reflection of a new constellation of research and teachings, the Research Training Group attempts, in a new practice of theory, a new conception of cultural knowledge.
The Research Training Group introduces and investigates a concept, Lebenswissen , that may be considered as constitutive of Kulturwissenschaft : the know-how of life is one of the central concerns of cultural analysis. The kind of knowledge called Lebenswissen is neither identical with that of the bio- or life sciences, nor does it coincide with the older philosophies of life and culture as advocated for more than a century by humanities and social sciences alike. The objectivism of the biosciences refers to life as a functional process without necessity of any knowledge of itself. It is aware of itself only in a metaphorical sense, to the extent, namely, that functional processes are self-referential. Contrary to this functional limitation of self-referentiality, cultural analysis deals with life in its social forms as forms of life in which consciousness, practice and responsible action are developed and stabilised in routines and experiences, concepts and metaphors, texts and images, laws and norms, archives and traditions. In the older humanities and social sciences, traditional interest in human knowledge took the embeddedness of individual features, conceptions and dynamics, for granted; in proceeding from what counts as given in continuation of the Research Training Group Representation, Rhetoric, Knowledge this programme serves the methodological foundation of the faculties of Kulturwissenschaft in Brandenburg. In deepening the theoretical reflection of a new constellation of research and teachings, the Research Training Group attempts, in a new practice of theory, a new conception of cultural knowledge.
DFG Programme
Research Training Groups
Applicant Institution
Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
Co-Applicant Institution
Universität Potsdam
Participating Researchers
Professor Dr. Christoph Asendorf; Professor Dr. Stephan Breidenbach; Professor Dr. Ottmar Ette; Professor Dr. Norbert P. Franz; Professor Dr. Gangolf Hübinger; Professor Dr. Rüdiger Kunow; Professorin Dr. Gertrud Lehnert; Professor Dr. Christoph Menke; Professor Dr. Werner Schiffauer
Spokespersons
Professorin Dr. Andrea Allerkamp, since 7/2011; Professor Dr. Logi Gunnarsson, since 7/2011
