Alice Morelli | Università Ca' Foscari Venezia (original) (raw)

Papers by Alice Morelli

Argumenta, 2024

This paper presents a conceptual analysis of Wittgenstein's use of the notions of habit and custo... more This paper presents a conceptual analysis of Wittgenstein's use of the notions of habit and custom. References to habit and custom abound in Wittgenstein's writings already from the 1930s, but no particular focus has been placed on his actual use of these notions. The aim of the paper is to provide a preliminary conceptual tool useful for developing a fruitful engagement between Wittgenstein's "posttractarian" philosophy and contributions to the philosophy of habit. To do this, I will first trace relevant occurrences in Wittgenstein's writings. Secondly, I will map the use of these concepts by identifying three related families of German expressions: Gepflogenheit, Gewohnheit and Gebrauch/Sitte. Finally, I will present three philosophical contexts in which the two notions play an important role: 1. remarks on rule-following; 2. imaginary cases; 3. meta-philosophical remarks on philosophical problems. I will conclude that Wittgenstein's reference to habit and custom is an important element of his anthropological or pragmatic turn.

Anthem Press eBooks, Mar 14, 2023

JOLMA, 2020

Can laws of nature be universal regularities and nevertheless have exceptions? Several answers to... more Can laws of nature be universal regularities and nevertheless have exceptions? Several answers to this question, in particular the thesis that there are no laws outside of fundamental physics, are examined and rejected. It is suggested that one can account for exceptions by conceiving of laws as strictly universal determination relations between (instances of) properties. When a natural property is instantiated, laws of nature give rise to other, typically dispositional properties. In exceptional situations, such properties manifest themselves either in an unusual way or not at all.

Sarebbe corretto dire che i concetti riflettono la nostra vita? Essi stanno nel bel mezzo di essa.

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experien... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experiential account of meaning and understanding. According to this account, meaning is characterized as a state of mind of the subject, while understanding is conceived as a kind of experience of the subject. This paper argues that, although Wittgenstein criticizes the experiential model as a tempting but deceptive philosophical view, James’s account has a pervasive positive influence on Wittgenstein’s thought. It will be shown that, even though Wittgenstein argues against the idea that meanings are experiences, the Jamesian principle of the absence of the will act informs Wittgenstein’s alternative conceptions of meaning as use and understanding as mastery of a technique. Moreover, Wittgenstein’s discussion of aspect-seeing in the second part of the Philosophical Investigations follows the discussion of the experiential account. Wittgenstein’s discussion is presented as an instance of the distinction between experience and grammar and as an example of a broader engagement with James’s philosophy on the concept of experience.

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Inves... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Investigations , Wittgenstein characterizes understanding as a mastery of a technique. This is a dispositional notion and many scholars have rightly presented dispositional readings of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy in virtue of his remarks on meaning and understanding. Wittgenstein seems to suggest that understanding the meaning of a word is best characterized as having the disposition to correctly use that word, that is, as knowing how to employ the word. However, scholars think that the notion of disposition as an ability– even if it is correctly ‘applicable’ – is not endorsed by Wittgenstein, because they think that he had in mind a narrow and materialistic conception of disposition as a state of a physical apparatus. This paper argues that Wittgenstein does not endorse a materialistic and narrow conception of disposition. By contrast, Wittgenstein criticizes one particular misleading us...

I castelli di Yale online, 2020

My paper is about Andronico’s work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstei... more My paper is about Andronico’s work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. In particular, I will focus on the role that her ideas play against the therapeutic reading of Wittgenstein’s philosophy. I will argue that, contrary to such a reading, the ethical tone of Wittgenstein’s philosophy should be understood as a consequence of aesthetical e-ducation, that is, the sharpening of the eye in order to see differently. I will show that (1) philosophy is a specific kind of theory and that (2) Cavell’s notion of the rediscovery of the ordinary does not properly grasp the ethical force of Wittgenstein’s remarks.

Philosophica, 2019

The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. Wittgenstein h... more The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. Wittgenstein has often been considered a radical anti-naturalist philosopher, mainly because he does not endorse the thesis of the continuity between philosophy and science. However, it will be argued that Wittgenstein’s later philosophy incorporates a kind of naturalism without naturalization, i.e., a liberal naturalism, in virtue of the relation between human nature and language. It will be concluded that Wittgenstein’s liberal naturalism provides an example of a naturalistic perspective on language which avoids the limits of an intellectualist approach without leading to scientism: this is meant to express the irreducibility of naturalism to the mere scientific version.

I castelli di Yale Online, 2020

My paper is about Andronico's work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstei... more My paper is about Andronico's work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstein's later philosophy. In particular, I will focus on the role that her ideas play against the therapeutic reading of Wittgenstein's philosophy. I will argue that, contrary to such a reading, the ethical tone of Wittgenstein's philosophy should be understood as a consequence of aesthetical education, that is, the sharpening of the eye in order to see differently. I will show that (1) philosophy is a specific kind of theory and that (2) Cavell's notion of the rediscovery of the ordinary does not properly grasp the ethical force of Wittgenstein's remarks.

La sezione tematica con cui si apre il presente fascicolo pubblica gli Atti del Pomeriggio di Stu... more La sezione tematica con cui si apre il presente fascicolo pubblica gli Atti del Pomeriggio di Studi "Secondo natura. Wittgenstein e l'antropologia" tenutosi il 27 novembre 2019 presso il Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici dell'Università di Ferrara.
http://cyonline.unife.it/issue/view/278/showToc

Le varietà del Naturalismo. Incontri Ca' Foscari- Paris 1., 2019

The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein's later philosophy. Wittgenstein h... more The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein's later philosophy. Wittgenstein has often been considered a radical anti-naturalist philosopher, mainly because he does not endorse the thesis of the continuity between philosophy and science. However, it will be argued that Wittgenstein's later philosophy incorporates a kind of naturalism without naturalization, i.e., a liberal naturalism, in virtue of the relation between human nature and language. It will be concluded that Wittgenstein's liberal naturalism provides an example of a naturalistic perspective on language which avoids the limits of an intellectualist approach without leading to scientism: this is meant to express the irreducibility of naturalism to the mere scientific version.

RIFL, 2018

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein's use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Inves... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein's use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein characterizes understanding as a mastery of a technique. This is a dispositional notion and many scholars have rightly presented dispositional readings of Wittgenstein's later philosophy in virtue of his remarks on meaning and understanding. Wittgenstein seems to suggest that understanding the meaning of a word is best characterized as having the disposition to correctly use that word, that is, as knowing how to employ the word. However, scholars think that the notion of disposition as an ability-even if it is correctly 'applicable' -is not endorsed by Wittgenstein, because they think that he had in mind a narrow and materialistic conception of disposition as a state of a physical apparatus. This paper argues that Wittgenstein does not endorse a materialistic and narrow conception of disposition. By contrast, Wittgenstein criticizes one particular misleading use of the concept and he actively employs a de-naturalised notion of disposition as acquired ability, or embodied practice.

Pragmatism Today, 2018

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experien... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experiential account of meaning and understanding. According to this account, meaning is characterized as a state of mind of the subject, while understanding is conceived as a kind of experience of the subject. This paper argues that, although Wittgenstein criticizes the experiential model as a tempting but deceptive philosophical view, James’s account has a pervasive positive influence on Wittgenstein’s thought. It will be shown that, even though Wittgenstein argues against the idea that meanings are experiences, the Jamesian principle of the absence of the will act informs Wittgenstein’s alternative conceptions of meaning as use and understanding as mastery of a technique. Moreover, Wittgenstein’s discussion of aspect-seeing in the second part of the Philosophical Investigations follows the discussion of the experiential account. Wittgenstein’s discussion is presented as an instance of the distinction between experience and grammar and as an example of a broader engagement with James’s philosophy on the concept of experience.

C. Limbeck-Lilienau, F. Stadler (eds.) (2017), The Philosophy of Perception and Observation. Contributions of the 40th International Wittgenstein Symposium. Kirchberg am Wechsel, Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society., 2017

This paper focuses on Fogelin’s defactoist interpretation of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, as ... more This paper focuses on Fogelin’s defactoist interpretation of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, as it is found in Taking Wittgenstein at his word (Fogelin 2009). Fogelin explicitly states that defactoism must be distinguished from other labels. However, his defactoist reading seems reasonably akin to a naturalistic reading. This paper argues that defactoism might be considered a form of liberal naturalism and that the notion of liberal naturalism fits best with Wittgenstein’s overall later philosophy. It will be shown that, although defactoism clearly accounts for Wittgenstein’s peculiar treatment of traditional philosophical problems, it does not include important aspects of Wittgenstein’s philosophy, such as the morphological method and the relevance of imaginary cases as a non-metaphysical form of estrangement.

Book Reviews by Alice Morelli

British Wittgenstein Society website, 2017

Talks by Alice Morelli

CLAVeS (Seminario Veneziano di Cognizione, Linguaggio, Azione e Sensibilità) è un centro di ricer... more CLAVeS (Seminario Veneziano di Cognizione, Linguaggio, Azione e Sensibilità) è un centro di ricerca dipartimentale aperto a docenti, ricercatori, dottorandi, studenti di Ca' Foscari per fare ricerca sui rapporti tra linguaggio, pensiero, azione e affettività. Il centro promuove attività di formazione e offre supporto scientifico alla didattica nel campo della filosofia del linguaggio, della mente, dell'emozione e le loro applicazioni interdisciplinari. Direttore:

Argumenta, 2024

This paper presents a conceptual analysis of Wittgenstein's use of the notions of habit and custo... more This paper presents a conceptual analysis of Wittgenstein's use of the notions of habit and custom. References to habit and custom abound in Wittgenstein's writings already from the 1930s, but no particular focus has been placed on his actual use of these notions. The aim of the paper is to provide a preliminary conceptual tool useful for developing a fruitful engagement between Wittgenstein's "posttractarian" philosophy and contributions to the philosophy of habit. To do this, I will first trace relevant occurrences in Wittgenstein's writings. Secondly, I will map the use of these concepts by identifying three related families of German expressions: Gepflogenheit, Gewohnheit and Gebrauch/Sitte. Finally, I will present three philosophical contexts in which the two notions play an important role: 1. remarks on rule-following; 2. imaginary cases; 3. meta-philosophical remarks on philosophical problems. I will conclude that Wittgenstein's reference to habit and custom is an important element of his anthropological or pragmatic turn.

Anthem Press eBooks, Mar 14, 2023

JOLMA, 2020

Can laws of nature be universal regularities and nevertheless have exceptions? Several answers to... more Can laws of nature be universal regularities and nevertheless have exceptions? Several answers to this question, in particular the thesis that there are no laws outside of fundamental physics, are examined and rejected. It is suggested that one can account for exceptions by conceiving of laws as strictly universal determination relations between (instances of) properties. When a natural property is instantiated, laws of nature give rise to other, typically dispositional properties. In exceptional situations, such properties manifest themselves either in an unusual way or not at all.

Sarebbe corretto dire che i concetti riflettono la nostra vita? Essi stanno nel bel mezzo di essa.

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experien... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experiential account of meaning and understanding. According to this account, meaning is characterized as a state of mind of the subject, while understanding is conceived as a kind of experience of the subject. This paper argues that, although Wittgenstein criticizes the experiential model as a tempting but deceptive philosophical view, James’s account has a pervasive positive influence on Wittgenstein’s thought. It will be shown that, even though Wittgenstein argues against the idea that meanings are experiences, the Jamesian principle of the absence of the will act informs Wittgenstein’s alternative conceptions of meaning as use and understanding as mastery of a technique. Moreover, Wittgenstein’s discussion of aspect-seeing in the second part of the Philosophical Investigations follows the discussion of the experiential account. Wittgenstein’s discussion is presented as an instance of the distinction between experience and grammar and as an example of a broader engagement with James’s philosophy on the concept of experience.

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Inves... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Investigations , Wittgenstein characterizes understanding as a mastery of a technique. This is a dispositional notion and many scholars have rightly presented dispositional readings of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy in virtue of his remarks on meaning and understanding. Wittgenstein seems to suggest that understanding the meaning of a word is best characterized as having the disposition to correctly use that word, that is, as knowing how to employ the word. However, scholars think that the notion of disposition as an ability– even if it is correctly ‘applicable’ – is not endorsed by Wittgenstein, because they think that he had in mind a narrow and materialistic conception of disposition as a state of a physical apparatus. This paper argues that Wittgenstein does not endorse a materialistic and narrow conception of disposition. By contrast, Wittgenstein criticizes one particular misleading us...

I castelli di Yale online, 2020

My paper is about Andronico’s work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstei... more My paper is about Andronico’s work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. In particular, I will focus on the role that her ideas play against the therapeutic reading of Wittgenstein’s philosophy. I will argue that, contrary to such a reading, the ethical tone of Wittgenstein’s philosophy should be understood as a consequence of aesthetical e-ducation, that is, the sharpening of the eye in order to see differently. I will show that (1) philosophy is a specific kind of theory and that (2) Cavell’s notion of the rediscovery of the ordinary does not properly grasp the ethical force of Wittgenstein’s remarks.

Philosophica, 2019

The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. Wittgenstein h... more The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy. Wittgenstein has often been considered a radical anti-naturalist philosopher, mainly because he does not endorse the thesis of the continuity between philosophy and science. However, it will be argued that Wittgenstein’s later philosophy incorporates a kind of naturalism without naturalization, i.e., a liberal naturalism, in virtue of the relation between human nature and language. It will be concluded that Wittgenstein’s liberal naturalism provides an example of a naturalistic perspective on language which avoids the limits of an intellectualist approach without leading to scientism: this is meant to express the irreducibility of naturalism to the mere scientific version.

I castelli di Yale Online, 2020

My paper is about Andronico's work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstei... more My paper is about Andronico's work on the connection between Ethics and Aesthetics in Wittgenstein's later philosophy. In particular, I will focus on the role that her ideas play against the therapeutic reading of Wittgenstein's philosophy. I will argue that, contrary to such a reading, the ethical tone of Wittgenstein's philosophy should be understood as a consequence of aesthetical education, that is, the sharpening of the eye in order to see differently. I will show that (1) philosophy is a specific kind of theory and that (2) Cavell's notion of the rediscovery of the ordinary does not properly grasp the ethical force of Wittgenstein's remarks.

La sezione tematica con cui si apre il presente fascicolo pubblica gli Atti del Pomeriggio di Stu... more La sezione tematica con cui si apre il presente fascicolo pubblica gli Atti del Pomeriggio di Studi "Secondo natura. Wittgenstein e l'antropologia" tenutosi il 27 novembre 2019 presso il Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici dell'Università di Ferrara.
http://cyonline.unife.it/issue/view/278/showToc

Le varietà del Naturalismo. Incontri Ca' Foscari- Paris 1., 2019

The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein's later philosophy. Wittgenstein h... more The paper focuses on some naturalistic aspects of Wittgenstein's later philosophy. Wittgenstein has often been considered a radical anti-naturalist philosopher, mainly because he does not endorse the thesis of the continuity between philosophy and science. However, it will be argued that Wittgenstein's later philosophy incorporates a kind of naturalism without naturalization, i.e., a liberal naturalism, in virtue of the relation between human nature and language. It will be concluded that Wittgenstein's liberal naturalism provides an example of a naturalistic perspective on language which avoids the limits of an intellectualist approach without leading to scientism: this is meant to express the irreducibility of naturalism to the mere scientific version.

RIFL, 2018

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein's use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Inves... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein's use of the notion of disposition. In the Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein characterizes understanding as a mastery of a technique. This is a dispositional notion and many scholars have rightly presented dispositional readings of Wittgenstein's later philosophy in virtue of his remarks on meaning and understanding. Wittgenstein seems to suggest that understanding the meaning of a word is best characterized as having the disposition to correctly use that word, that is, as knowing how to employ the word. However, scholars think that the notion of disposition as an ability-even if it is correctly 'applicable' -is not endorsed by Wittgenstein, because they think that he had in mind a narrow and materialistic conception of disposition as a state of a physical apparatus. This paper argues that Wittgenstein does not endorse a materialistic and narrow conception of disposition. By contrast, Wittgenstein criticizes one particular misleading use of the concept and he actively employs a de-naturalised notion of disposition as acquired ability, or embodied practice.

Pragmatism Today, 2018

This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experien... more This paper focuses on Wittgenstein’s philosophical engagement with James’ thought on the experiential account of meaning and understanding. According to this account, meaning is characterized as a state of mind of the subject, while understanding is conceived as a kind of experience of the subject. This paper argues that, although Wittgenstein criticizes the experiential model as a tempting but deceptive philosophical view, James’s account has a pervasive positive influence on Wittgenstein’s thought. It will be shown that, even though Wittgenstein argues against the idea that meanings are experiences, the Jamesian principle of the absence of the will act informs Wittgenstein’s alternative conceptions of meaning as use and understanding as mastery of a technique. Moreover, Wittgenstein’s discussion of aspect-seeing in the second part of the Philosophical Investigations follows the discussion of the experiential account. Wittgenstein’s discussion is presented as an instance of the distinction between experience and grammar and as an example of a broader engagement with James’s philosophy on the concept of experience.

C. Limbeck-Lilienau, F. Stadler (eds.) (2017), The Philosophy of Perception and Observation. Contributions of the 40th International Wittgenstein Symposium. Kirchberg am Wechsel, Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society., 2017

This paper focuses on Fogelin’s defactoist interpretation of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, as ... more This paper focuses on Fogelin’s defactoist interpretation of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, as it is found in Taking Wittgenstein at his word (Fogelin 2009). Fogelin explicitly states that defactoism must be distinguished from other labels. However, his defactoist reading seems reasonably akin to a naturalistic reading. This paper argues that defactoism might be considered a form of liberal naturalism and that the notion of liberal naturalism fits best with Wittgenstein’s overall later philosophy. It will be shown that, although defactoism clearly accounts for Wittgenstein’s peculiar treatment of traditional philosophical problems, it does not include important aspects of Wittgenstein’s philosophy, such as the morphological method and the relevance of imaginary cases as a non-metaphysical form of estrangement.

CLAVeS (Seminario Veneziano di Cognizione, Linguaggio, Azione e Sensibilità) è un centro di ricer... more CLAVeS (Seminario Veneziano di Cognizione, Linguaggio, Azione e Sensibilità) è un centro di ricerca dipartimentale aperto a docenti, ricercatori, dottorandi, studenti di Ca' Foscari per fare ricerca sui rapporti tra linguaggio, pensiero, azione e affettività. Il centro promuove attività di formazione e offre supporto scientifico alla didattica nel campo della filosofia del linguaggio, della mente, dell'emozione e le loro applicazioni interdisciplinari. Direttore:

XXVII Convegno nazionale dei dottorati di ricerca in Filosofia, Modena., 2018

Testo presentato e discusso in occasione del XXVII Convegno nazionale dei dottorati di Filosofia,... more Testo presentato e discusso in occasione del XXVII Convegno nazionale dei dottorati di Filosofia, presso la Fondazione Collegio San Carlo di Modena.
Presento le linee generali del mio progetto di ricerca su Wittgenstein e le disposizioni.

Università Ca' Foscari, Venezia, 2018

"Incontri Ca' Foscari-Paris 1". Giornata di studi in collaborazione con l'Università Paris 1 Pant... more "Incontri Ca' Foscari-Paris 1". Giornata di studi in collaborazione con l'Università Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Workshop dottorale "Le varietà del naturalismo".
14-15 marzo 2018.

International conference: "Intercultural Understanding. Wittgensteinian approaches at the Crossroads between Epistemology and Ethics. University of Valencia, 28-29 January 2020., 2020

Workshop: mercoledì 27/11/2019 - ore 14:30, aula A Università di Ferrara - Dipartimento di Studi ... more Workshop: mercoledì 27/11/2019 - ore 14:30, aula A
Università di Ferrara - Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, via Paradiso 12, Ferrara.

Palgrave Mcmillan, 2024

This book investigates dispositions in grammatical-normative terms through a contrast between a n... more This book investigates dispositions in grammatical-normative terms through a contrast between a naturalized paradigm and a Wittgenstein-inspired perspective. The book presents a conceptual analysis of the notion of disposition informed by Wittgenstein's and Ryle's philosophies to defend a normative notion of disposition.

The book opens with a presentation of the current naturalized paradigm on dispositions, focusing on its main presuppositions and limits. It then turns to the discussion of a Wittgensteinian-inspired dispositionalism of knowing and understanding, before filling the exegetical gap about Wittgenstein's own use of the notion of disposition. The author critically engages with the current paradigm using Ryle's notion of category mistake, before concluding with a presentation of some philosophical views where a notion of normative disposition is employed.

Palgrave Mcmillan, 2024

This book investigates dispositions in grammatical-normative terms through a contrast between a n... more This book investigates dispositions in grammatical-normative terms through a contrast between a naturalized paradigm and a Wittgenstein-inspired perspective. The book presents a conceptual analysis of the notion of disposition informed by Wittgenstein's and Ryle's philosophies to defend a normative notion of disposition.

The book opens with a presentation of the current naturalized paradigm on dispositions, focusing on its main presuppositions and limits. It then turns to the discussion of a Wittgensteinian-inspired dispositionalism of knowing and understanding, before filling the exegetical gap about Wittgenstein's own use of the notion of disposition. The author critically engages with the current paradigm using Ryle's notion of category mistake, before concluding with a presentation of some philosophical views where a notion of normative disposition is employed.