The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony

This article considers polyphony from an action-theoretical angle. The notion of polyphony can be used for a comprehensive philosophical account of human agency, especially group agency. Actions can be described as polyphone either by describing the intentional stance of the agents, or the action it...

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Main Author: Beatrice Kobow
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Éditions de l'EHESS 2011-02-01
Series:Transposition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/transposition/137
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author Beatrice Kobow
author_facet Beatrice Kobow
author_sort Beatrice Kobow
collection DOAJ
description This article considers polyphony from an action-theoretical angle. The notion of polyphony can be used for a comprehensive philosophical account of human agency, especially group agency. Actions can be described as polyphone either by describing the intentional stance of the agents, or the action itself which can only be executed by two or more agents. Understanding both aspects sheds light on the question what kind of normativity and knowledge thereof is required for agents of collective actions. A normative account of group agency is proposed that can take into account this understanding of normativity that the agents possess themselves while maintaining the premise of methodological individualism. Concerning the origins of polyphony as musical notion, understanding polyphone structures reflects the human capacity for acting in concert.
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spelling doaj-art-e89f04c659f14cfa9b9b7acd5c1346a22025-08-20T02:20:15ZengÉditions de l'EHESSTransposition2110-61342011-02-01110.4000/transposition.137The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of PolyphonyBeatrice KobowThis article considers polyphony from an action-theoretical angle. The notion of polyphony can be used for a comprehensive philosophical account of human agency, especially group agency. Actions can be described as polyphone either by describing the intentional stance of the agents, or the action itself which can only be executed by two or more agents. Understanding both aspects sheds light on the question what kind of normativity and knowledge thereof is required for agents of collective actions. A normative account of group agency is proposed that can take into account this understanding of normativity that the agents possess themselves while maintaining the premise of methodological individualism. Concerning the origins of polyphony as musical notion, understanding polyphone structures reflects the human capacity for acting in concert.https://journals.openedition.org/transposition/137polyphonygroup agencynormativity of actionorigins of polyphonycollective intentionality
spellingShingle Beatrice Kobow
The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
Transposition
polyphony
group agency
normativity of action
origins of polyphony
collective intentionality
title The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
title_full The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
title_fullStr The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
title_full_unstemmed The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
title_short The "Sound of Power": Investigating Polyphone Actions and the Perception of Polyphony
title_sort sound of power investigating polyphone actions and the perception of polyphony
topic polyphony
group agency
normativity of action
origins of polyphony
collective intentionality
url https://journals.openedition.org/transposition/137
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