Dear Eduardo
Thanks a lot for your explanations, just fascinating !
Yes indeed, reflecting upon the wisdom of the Ancients, 'function' may well
be related to 'end' and 'dead' perhaps in the following sense: once a
'functional' (meaning 'purposeful') whole is realized, one may consider
'ended' or 'dead', 'accomplished' and 'executed' THE PROCESS of assembling
its components. Whether or not those 'assembled' components result into
functional and/or useful tools. This may be the meaning that gave away when
the "machinical" one became dominant at the event of generalized
mechanization of society (since the European Enlightenment period??),
focusing more on the outcome, the tool, and less on the process.
As regards 'purposefulness', 'utility' and 'usefulness' of TOOLS made at
the end of the process above, you are right, these are different concepts.
So then, perhaps the concept of 'function' should be considered at the
three main phases of the continuum: at the process of tool making, at the
process of tool using, and at the process of 'enjoyment of life' with
(thanks to) those tools? Maybe in her bibliographical compilation that we
all are anxious to see posted soon on this list, Esra should take into
consideration all these nuances above?
Warm regards
Francois
Montreal
On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 7:54 AM, Eduardo Corte-Real <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear François,
> First I must apologise. I read the dictionary very quickly and the
> meanings I told you were in Portuguese of the word "Função" deriving from
> the Latin "Functione" and not the Latin ones.
> The meanings in Portuguese (according to the Etymological Dictionary) are:
> Accomplishment, execution, end, dead and the satisfaction of taxes (!!). I
> was as surprised as you. I can only speculate about Functione used in Roman
> times when Latin was fully active with its lively and literary uses.
> I must say that "execution" is here used as "things that are made
> perfectly".
> I also must say that I never heard in Portuguese function as dead.
> Speculating I would think that dead was related with the other meaning
> "end". Since something means "End" it can metaphorically be used as "Dead".
> Continuing in Portuguese the noun Função seems more related with purposes,
> (in that sense, an end for something as in "ends justify means")
> teleological, therefore. Whereas the verb funcionar (to function) is
> clearly related on how things work as in the "mitochondrial function as
> messengers".
> In Portuguese also, the Civil Servants are know as A Funçâo Pública (the
> public function) and every office worker may be designated as funcionario
> (someone that performs a function).
> But mostly the word function in Portuguese (I think our Brazilian
> colleagues may confirm this) is used in a "machinical" way. "A motor
> functions (works) this way".
> So modernist function had a resonance near to the futuristic machinery and
> obviously underlined by Le Corbusier's habitable machine as a definition
> for house.
> As for Utilitas it resounds, since it derived to Util (useful), into an
> Ethical domain. Something may function perfectly and not being useful and
> things may be useful not functioning very properly (my IPad can be each of
> the later at time).
> Confused?
> Not really, I think.
> I just think that we think slightly different things especially with
> words, as Esra put it, may be regarded as "concepts".
> Best regards,
> Eduardo
>
>
>
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