Appreciating Historical Variability

Martin Jay from UC Berkeley discusses how intellectual history helps us understand the variability of concepts like politics and lying over time. He explores the conjunction of lying and politics, emphasizing the importance of cultural semantics and the historical context of words. Jay delves into the political realm, its boundaries, and the role of institutions and activities. He highlights the dynamic nature of political terms and their semantic oppositions, illustrating their historical variability.

What tools does intellectual history provide to relativize contemporary positions?

What are some of the different contexts in which the meaning of words can change over time?

How does the concept of lying relate to the understanding of politics?

How can the exploration of lying serve as a probe into the political realm?

In what ways can the historical variability of concepts affect our understanding of politics?