Philosophy's Version of Pastoral : The Sense and Sensibility of Ordinary Language in J. L. Austin and William Empson

This book explores the ways in which Austin's and Empson's conceptions of the ordinary, in language and in life, might be used to illuminate each other, despite (and because of) their differing disciplinary allegiances. Stephen Mulhall focusses on three dimensions of comparison: the structural analogies between their broad conceptions of how words work; how Empson's treatment of sense and sensibility can be seen as in dialogue with Austin's treatment of sense and sensibilia; and how Empson's conception of pastoral might be used to illuminate both the unity and the diversity of the tradition of ordinary language philosophy (primarily in Austin, but also including Wittgenstein and his American reception in Cavell). As a result, the volume offers an original way of placing philosophy and literary criticism (hence, literature) into conversation with each other.