Dictionary of Poetics and Thought
Author: Prof. Dr. Manuel Antônio de Castro – Titular de Poética – UFRJ - BRASIL
Presentation
This is a digital dictionary which is especially distinctive because it is made of entries that are not characterized by conceptual definitions or a list of semantic meanings, but rather by questions.
Each entry of this dictionary will direct readers to a different array of essential considerations and passages of many thinkers and poets, all of which aims at inciting readers to question and think over matters – which goes only to show that each entry is a question to be thought over and, therefore, cannot be defined by concepts. Then, it will be up to readers to build their own way of thinking by confronting and reflecting on the different assertions and inquiries found here.
By consulting this dictionary, readers will have access to different ideas, bibliographical recommendations or even transcriptions of passages considered essential. For further information on the transcribed passages, readers should look for the full text that is being recommended.
Another central idea of this dictionary is the circularity of the thinking process within which it works, in that each word marked as a link can direct readers to another word and so forth. As a consequence, linearity or any other sort of hierarchy are avoided.
Instead of a logical conceptual system, this dictionary proposes a poetic syntax according to which each entry is a question that calls for other entries in a poetic interrelationship so that the process of thinking may develop poetically.
Entries might have three origins: 1) They could have been written by the author of the dictionary; 2) They could have been written by the editors; 3) Or they could have been quoted from texts of thinkers and poets which should be properly indicated in the bibliographical references.
Since this dictionary revolves around the process of thinking and questioning about matters, some entries might contain quotations followed by comments made by the author of the dictionary, all of which intends to incite readers to also question, agree or disagree with the commentaries.