ideology

mytheme

phoneme

value

nationality

British

occupation / innovator as

social theorist

structuralist

innovator in the field of

anthropological theory

cybernetics

film theory

psychiatry

psychoanalysis

structuralism

systems theory

American

university teacher

epistemologist

is nothing other than the organizing function of myth which is made to serve as the rationalization of a given form of social organization.

And whereas in systems not involving social exploitation, myths can properly be regarded as performing a 'pure' or 'neutral' organizing function, in all other systems myths become the property of a class, caste, or sex. 'A myth which is the property of a class' is in effect a definition of ideology. The myth then ceases to serve the neutral function of organization pure and simple... it serves as the rationalization of a given form of social organization. (Wilden 1972a .pdf)

has 'content'. It contains both signification and meaning.

Unlike Levi-Strausss mythemes (the 'gross constitutive elements' of myth, by analogy with phon-eme), phonemes are bits of meaningless and non-significant information. Phonemes and phonemic oppositions are the tools of analysis and articulation (whose basic characteristic is difference) in a system in which both signification and meaning are outside the phonemic structure. Mythemes and oppositions between mythemes, on the contrary, involve both signification and meaning: they have content. (Wilden 1972a .pdf)

is the smallest unit of meaning in myth, unique in that, in contrast to phonemes which are bits of meaningless information lacking signification, mythemes involve both meaning and signification.

is a characterized by difference. It exists in a system in which both signification and meaning are outside the phonemic structure.

phonemes are bits of meaningless and non-significant information. Phonemes and phonemic oppositions are the tools of analysis and articulation (whose basic characteristic is difference) in a system in which both signification and meaning are outside the phonemic structure. Mythemes' and oppositions' between mythemes, on the contrary, involve both signification and meaning: they have 'content'. (Wilden 1972a .pdf)

Wallace defines values as abstractions or logical types (Wallace 1961:102)

Anthony Wilden

Authors(0)

Anthony WildenThinkers

Anthony Wilden