Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus

English translation:

gestalt-theoretical phenomena (mechanism)

Added to glossary by Lingua.Franca
Apr 26, 2009 21:15
15 yrs ago
German term

gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus

German to English Social Sciences Philosophy Fritz Köhler
This occurs in a text which in passing refers to late 19th century philosophy, specifically to competing concepts of Lebensphilosophie. The passage in question runs:

Zwar ist der Begriff des Lebens bereits bei Schelling, Schopenhauer und Nietzsche der Ausgangspunkt eines neuen Denkens, doch erst viel später provoziert der sich mit Dilthey und Bergson anbahnende und die Humanwissenschaften erreichende Anticartsianismus Diskussionen, die sich Ende des 19. Jahrhundert zu einem Streit um den Lebensbegriff zwischen dem vor allem von Hans Drieschs vertretenen neovitalistischen Entelechiekonzept und Fritz Köhlers gestalttheoretischem Mechanismus verdichten. [sic] Hatte Aristoteles bekanntlich den Begriff der Entelechie energetisch gedacht, wird er von Driesch in dessen 1909 erschienenen Philosophie des Organischen in Auseinandersetzung mit der Thermodynamik entwickelt. In seinem Bemühen um die Begründung der Biologie als eigenständiger Wissenschaft will Driesch den Begriff des Lebens von physikalischen und mechanistischen Größen befreien.

I am having trouble knowing how to translate this accurately, not least because I have not heard of Köhler and cannot find out anything about him. Does anyone have any clues with or without knowledge of Köhler perhaps? Just to be clear, I'm not sure how to translate the 'Gestalt' bit in this context.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 Gestalt in German is Gestalt in English
Change log

May 1, 2009 21:47: Lingua.Franca Created KOG entry

Discussion

Helen Shiner (asker) Apr 27, 2009:
Thanks casper Another example of Gestalt-theoretical, but I don't think process would be right in my context. My author/client speaks often about instruments and mechanisms - he is a linguist and is writing about philosophy - and from my researches it does look like these terms are used in this context in EN, too. My author seems often also to coin phrases based closely/loosely on more well-known phraseology, so I am not unduly worried that I cannot find a previous instance of the exact phrase. But I will definitely have to clarify this one with him. Thanks for your help.
casper (X) Apr 27, 2009:
Gestalt theoretical process ?? "The Gestalt theoretical process improves our spatial memory by creating cognitive maps of patterns that help our recognition of spaces and objects in spaces."
http://www.sfu.ca/~kseaborn/iat302/visual.htm
Helen Shiner (asker) Apr 26, 2009:
Tamas Yes, there do seem to be various forms of Gestalt-theoretical phenomena. I may fall back on that, though I agree it doesn't sound very good, but I am trying to rework the sentence somehow. More inspiration perhaps after a good night's sleep. Thanks everyone for your help meanwhile.
Lingua.Franca Apr 26, 2009:
gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus There are no Google hits for "gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus", either.

However:

http://www.getcited.org/dept/1010685

Gestalttheoretische Psychotherapie = Gestalt Theoretical Psychotherapy

Gestalt Theoretical Mechanism sounds wrong to my ears, but it's late and my ears may not be working properly at this point. Maybe the link can be helpful for the discussion, though!
Helen Shiner (asker) Apr 26, 2009:
I wouldn't translate it like that, though. Here is just one example of 'theoretical mechanism' as related to Gestalt:
http://books.google.com/books?id=hrAv21SaNPAC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8...
Kim Metzger Apr 26, 2009:
Google ! No results found for "gestalt theory mechanism".
Helen Shiner (asker) Apr 26, 2009:
Hi Kim well, there are a lot of theoretical mechanisms about in this field. I wish it were not so, but it seems that that is the accepted lingo. However, if anyone wishes to convince me of anything else, I would accord him/her my undying esteem, even if now not points.
Kim Metzger Apr 26, 2009:
Schade, Helen No doubt about it, Gestalttheorie is Gestalt theory, but translating "gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus" is somewhat of a challenge.

Proposed translations

+1
14 mins
Selected

Gestalt in German is Gestalt in English

You don't translate Gestalt. It's Gestalt theory or Gestalt psychology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_School_of_experimental_p...


I can find references only to Wolfgang Köhler who founded Gestalt psychology.

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Note added at 22 mins (2009-04-26 21:38:09 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Anytime... Learned something new again :-) I love translations.
Note from asker:
Hi Tamas - I was about to close the question having come to exactly the same conclusion - that this should be Wolfgang Köhler and, indeed, should be Gestalt. Nothing else in the text refers to Gestalt therapy/theory, so a bit random really. I'll check with my client, but I am sure this is just a mistake.
Peer comment(s):

agree Anne-Marie Grant (X)
25 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I wouldn't normally close a question so quickly, but I'm pretty sure we're right, so you may as well have the points now! Thanks for your assistance."
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