God is sage: human cognition and metaphorical conceptualisation in Biblical Hebrew wisdom
| dc.contributor.advisor | Nel, Philip J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Schmidt, Nicolaas Fryer | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-11-24T08:18:30Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-11-24T08:18:30Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2016-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: The theme focuses on how sages pictured THE DIVINE in the Biblical Hebrew text of Proverbs. The research problem questions the way in which Israelite-Jewish sages conceptualised God metaphorically by means of religious and cognitive experiences in the BIBLICAL HEBREW WISDOM of PROVERBS. The textual subsections of Proverbs are subjected to a paradigmatic cognitive-scientific research methodology, and studied according to a cognitive-linguistic approach as stipulated by the CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR THEORY of Lakoff and Johnson – God is inferentially derived as a primordial and providential Sage in the proverbial wisdom tradition. The central research statement and hypothesis states that ISRAELITE AND JEWISH SAGES conceptualised God metaphorically as a Sage by means of cognitive and religious experiences peculiar to the PROVERBIAL WISDOM TRADITION and distinctive of the priestly and prophetic theologies of the Hebrew Bible. The introduction is followed by an exposé on the research and reception history of the Divine according to Kuhn‟s paradigm theory. As a consequence of the second chapter, the third and fourth chapters focus on the paradigmatic cognitive-scientific methodology and Lakoff and Johnson‟s Conceptual Metaphor theory, to explain how the Divine is metaphorically delimited, analysed and portrayed. The conceptual analysis of metaphorical categories and linguistic extensions of the Biblical Hebrew concepts for “heart” (√לבב ), “wisdom” (√חכם ) and “God-fearing” (√ירא ) are discussed as expressions which schematically structure God in terms of mental and prototypical-experiential, -educational and -ethical domains. These phrases provide more abstract projections and gestalt experiences of the Divine personification in Proverbs. The fourth chapter distinguishes the cognitive and mental character of Conceptual Metaphor Theory from other linguistic theories that are more strongly focused on the grammatical, syntactical and pragmatic aspects of metaphors. Reasons are provided for why the Divine should instead be conceptualised metaphorically. A five-fold CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR MODEL is proposed, which introduces, investigates and conceptually identifies metaphors for the God YHWH in Proverbs‟ proverbial wisdom tradition, as well as implicates necessary consequences. In chapter five this conceptual metaphor model is comprehensively applied to the Biblical Hebrew text of Proverbs and the underlying textual subsections of the proverbial wisdom tradition: YHWH is conceptualised by sages and editors as a patriarchal Father and King prior to the Babylonian Exile (Proverbs 10-29), as a Teacher and especially as Lady Wisdom during the Exile (chapter 1-9), as a Mysterious Sage and Sceptical Scribe in the Persian times and Diaspora (Proverbs 30), and eventually as a feminine Teacher and Lady Virtue during the Hellenistic times (Proverbs 31). The cognitive-ideological interpretation of Proverbs indicates that the ancient Israelite and early Jewish YHWH served as the Main Deity in the Israelite Assembly, with LADY WISDOM as his Daughter and Wife – Wisdom was venerated as a Hebrew Goddess by students, in contrast to Lady Folly and the prominent cultic-priestly and charismatic-prophetic traditions, which drastically edited and canonically portrayed YHWH in absolute, monotheistic fashions by the end of the Exile in absolute monotheistic fashions. The inherent nature of Biblical Hebrew proverbial wisdom boils down to natural theology, as expressed by the theological phrase of fides quaerens intellectum, or “FAITH SEEKING UNDERSTANDING”. The conclusion questions the reliability and validity of the research design. A discussion of the investigative theme is followed by critical remarks pertaining to the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Model, an evaluation of research paradigms, the ideological nature of human understandings of Scripture, as well as the Divine importance for the SOUTH AFRICAN academic, ecclesiastic and theological societies. Four possible research proposals are followed with a discussion of our human incapability of thinking and reasoning about “God” in ways that are not conceptual and not metaphorical. In conclusion, reference is made to the University of the Free State‟s recent brand changes, as well as the possible future consequences of this for both the public institution and the majority of believing South Africans. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Die navorsinsgtema bevraagteken hoe GOD deur wysgere in die BYBELHEBREEUS en spreekwoordelike wysheidteks van Spreuke uitgebeeld word. Die deduktiewe navoringsprobleem vra dus na die wyse hoe Joods-Israelitiese wysgere die Goddelike metafories konseptualiseer by wyse van godsdienstige en kognitiewe ervarings in die Bybelhebreeuse wysheid van Spreuke. Die tekstuele onderafdelings van SPREUKE word aan „n paradigmatiese kognitief-wetenskaplike navorsingsmetodologie onderwerp en volgens „n kognitief-taalkundige benadering afgebaken en bestudeer, soos uitgestippel deur Lakoff en Johnson se KONSEPTUELE METAFOORTEORIE. Gedurende die proses word God in die SPREEKWOORDELIKE WYSHEIDSTRADISIE van Spreuke as „n skeppende en regerende Wysgeer afgelei. Die navorsingstema en –hipotese lui dat God deur JOODS-ISRAELITIESE WYSGERE by wyse van kognitiewe en godsdienstige ervarings as „n Wysgeer uitgebeeld word, uitsonderlik aan Spreuke en die spreekwoordelike wysheidstradisie en onderskeidedelik van die priesterlike en profetiese literêre korpusse in die Hebreeuse Bybel. Die inleidende hoofstuk word opgevolg deur die navorsings- en resepsiegeskiedenisse betreffende die Goddelike in Spreuke volgens Kuhn se paradigmateorie. As uitvloeisel van die tweede hoofstuk word vervolgens gefokus op „n paradigmatiese kognitief-wetenskaplike navorsingsmetodologie en Lakoff en Jonnhson se Konseptuele Metafoorteorie, wat aandui hoe die Goddelike in Spreuke se tekstuele onderafdelings op konseptuele en operasionele wyses metafories afgebaken, geanaliseer en uitgebeeld word. Die konseptuele analise van metaforiese kategorieë en taalkundige uitbreidings van Bybelhebreeuse konsepte vir “hart” (√לבב ), “wysheid” (√חכם ) en “Godsvrees” (√ירא ) word as linguistieke uidtrukkings bespreek, wat God skematies struktureer in terme van konkreet-verstandelik en prototipies-ervarende, -opvoedkundige en -etiese domeine. Laasgenoemdes verskaf ook meer abtrakte projeksies en vergestaltings van Goddelike figurering in Spreuke. Die vierde hoofstuk onderskei die kognitiewe en verstandelike karakter van konseptuele metafoorteorie van taalkundige teorieë wat grootliks op die grammatikale, sintaktiese en pragmatiese aspekte daarvan konsentreer. Nadat aangedui word waarom die Goddelike eerder op metaforiese wyse gekonseptualiseer moet word, word „n vyfvoudige KONSEPTUELE-METAFOORMODEL voorgestel, wat die God YHWH in Spreuke inlei, analiseer, konseptueel-metafories identifiseer, asook in die spreewoordelike wysheidstradisie interpreteer en die noodwendige gevolge daarvan impliseer. Die konseptuele metafoormodel word omvattend in die vyfde hoofstuk op die Bybelhebreeuse teks van Spreuke en die onderliggende tekstuele Bybelhebreeuse en spreekwoordelike wysheidstradisie toegepas: YHWH word deur menslike wysgere en outeurs gekonseptualiseer as „n Partiargale Vader en Koning voor die Babiloniese Ballingskap (Spreuke 10-29), as „n Onderwyser en veral as Vrou Wysheid gedurende die Ballingskap (hoofsuk 1-9), as „n Misterieuse Wysgeer en Skeptiese Skriba tydens die Persiese era en Diaspora (Spreuke 30), en uiteindelik as „n Vroulike Onderwyseres en Dame Deugsaamheid tydens die Grieks-Hellenistiese periode (Spreuke 31). Die implikasies van „n konigitief-ideologiese verstaan van Speuke en die spreekwoordelike wysheidstradisie dui daarop dat die oud-Israelitiese en vroeg-Judese YHWH as Hoofgod in die Israelitiese Godsraad gedien het, met VROU WYSHEID as sy Dogter en Bruid. Wysheid is tevore as „n Hebreeuse Godin deur studente vereer, in teenstelling met Dame Dwaasheid en die ander prominente kulties-priesterlike en charismaties-profetiese tradisies, wat YHWH aan die einde van die Ballingskap kanonies drasties geredigeer en as absoluut-monoteïsties uitgebeeld het. In sy wese kom die Bybelhebreeuse wysheid van Spreuke neer op natuurlike teologie, oftewel die teologiese frase van fides quaerens intellectum, (“GELOOF OP SOEK NA VERSTANDIGHEID”). Die gevolgtrekking vra na die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die navorsingsbenadering. „n Bepreking van die navorsingstema en – model word opgevolg deur kritiese opmerkings jeens konseptuele metafoorteorie, „n evaluering van paradigmateorie, die ideologiese aard van die menslike Skrifverstaan, asook die belangrikheid daarvan vir die SUID-AFRIKAANSE akademiese, kerklike en teologiese gemeenskappe. Vier moontlike navorsingsvoorstelle word opgevolg deur „n beskrywing van die menslike onvermoë om nie konsepstueel-metafories oor die Goddelike te dink en redeneer nie. Ten slotte word verwys na die Vrystaatse Universiteit se onlangse handelsmerkverandering, asook die moontlike toekomstige gevolge daarvan vir beide dié publieke instansie en die meerderheid van godsdienstige Suid-Afrikaners. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/4793 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Divine | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Proverbs | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Conceptual metaphor theory | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Wisdom | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Thesis (Ph.D. (Hebrew)) - University of Free State, 2016 | en_ZA |
| dc.title | God is sage: human cognition and metaphorical conceptualisation in Biblical Hebrew wisdom | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |