The Challenges and Opportunities of Medieval Difficulty

最新譯著
相關學會
文本簡介
研究議題
書評
主題 Topic The Challenges and Opportunities of Medieval Difficulty
中世紀困境的挑戰與機會
代表作品 TitleUniversity of Western Michigan, Kalamazoo
作者 Author
出版社 Publisher
出版年 Year2016
語言 Language
裝訂 Binding□  平裝 Paperback　　　　□  精裝 Hardcover
頁數 Pages
ISBN
(10 / 13)
Bibliography Reference (STC, Duff, GW . . .)
來源網址
Web Link		http://medievalartresearch.com/2015/08/21/
  the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-medieval-difficulty-kalamazoo-2016-session/
撰稿者李祁芳、林柏豪
撰寫日期 Date23 Sept 2015

A.   簡介 Introduction (within 500 words, Chinese or English) 

「困難的事物總是給人不經意的喜悅」(基督教 教義 2.6.8)
這樣的基督教概念相似於中國古諺：「未經一番寒徹骨，焉得梅花撲鼻香」。
奧古斯都在讚揚「困境」(“difficulty”)所賦予我們之精神層次的同時，提醒我們「困境」在中世紀知識與宗教文化生活中所扮演的角色為之重要。儘管學界常對自己是否「過分解讀」文本、或是偏好過份簡單化的分析法(稱作“Occam's razor”「歐卡姆剃刀」)感到擔憂，中世紀學者仍然苦思如何探索並衡量「困境」這個問題，特別是當「困境」本身懸而未決，且又排斥任何結論性的答案。
 
本場次徵求探討中世紀「困境」各個面向的論文，例如：努力完成某事的過程、嘗試理解各種不同文本、意象與藝術的過程，忍受或是縱情於文本內在開放性的解讀過程、文本是否真的缺乏解答、或是面對難解的史料(無論是具象或抽象)、以及其它需要長期付出努力之過程。
在嘗試理解何謂「困境」的時候，比如說，聽到聖樂、凝視頭頂上的彩繪玻璃、或是探討常人無法理解的神學概念時，學者對於「困境」的付出到底可以得到何種知識上的文化資本？對於沒有答案、或者遲遲不能給予文本定義這件事，在追求學問怎麼樣說得過去？如何得其好處?在什麼狀況下，不管是個人得到救贖也好、完成一項工作也好、或者是達成其它目標也好，這些個人或者群體何以得知他們所選擇的路處處充滿艱難的挑戰？
本場次研討會徵求中世紀各學門學者的參與，目的在追蹤吾人處理「困境」議題的挑戰與機會，因為中世紀文化本身就不斷在探討本議題。
 
[Original CFP]
“What is sought with more difficulty is discovered with more pleasure.” (On Christian Doctrine 2.6.8). In praising difficulty, Augustine reminds us of its role as a good within medieval intellectual and devotional culture. With scholarly anxieties about ‘over-interpretation’ and a liking for ‘Occam’s razor’-type analyses, though, few opportunities are provided for the modern medievalist to delve into, and value, difficulty – especially as it remains unresolved, and resists conclusion.
This panel seeks papers on all manner of medieval difficulty: the process of working hard at something, of figuring out a range of meaning(s) in texts, images and artefacts, of living with – and revelling in – open-endedness and lack of resolution, of confronting resistant materials (both physical and abstract), and other long-lasting efforts.
What might have been the devotional and intellectual capital of the difficulty of understanding or even hearing motets, of seeing the upper reaches of stained glass windows, or of engaging in theological concepts beyond human perception and understanding? Where might the deferral of resolution have been seen as appropriate, even beneficial? In what circumstances might individuals and/or groups have sought out challenges that made the road they were seeking to travel (be it to their own salvation, or to the completion of a physical task, or toward any other goal) a difficult one?
This session seeks papers from all disciplines within medieval studies that seek to trace the challenges and opportunities surrounding difficulty as it was sought and sustained in medieval culture.
DEADLINE FOR PAPER PROPOSALS: 15 September 2015
Paper proposals should consist of the following:
1. Paper proposal (maximum one page)
2. Completed Participant Information Form available
  http://wmich.edu/medieval/congress/submissions/index.html
3. CV with home and office mailing addresses, e-mail address, and phone number
Please direct all proposal submissions and inquiries to: beth.williamson@bristol.ac.uk

B.   延伸閱讀 Extended Reading

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