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The Noise of Culture: Literature, Babel, and the Meaning of Meaning
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:02:08
Abstract
When is noise—din in the pub, static on the line, attenuation of the signal—a problem for communication? When is noise art? We’ll ask James Joyce.
Objective
To gain familiarity with noise as a technical, systems-theoretical, and philosophical concept. To draw connections between noise as a mythical problem (Babel) and noise as a telecommunications problem. To apply recent conceptualizations of noise to the interpretation of several works of modern literature. To use noise to reexamine several central premises of traditional literary criticism, including meaning, intention, and representation.
Content
In this course we will explore how noise functions both as a threat to meaning and as a source of new order, with special attention to literary texts. We will begin with the myth of Babel and look at several subsequent attempts to redress the noisy confusion. As we will learn, noise is a necessarily “parasitical” term; we will follow its modern uses across a range of 20th century texts drawn from the fields of semiotics (Ogden, Eco), cybernetics (Wiener, Bateson), and philosophy (Serres, Derrida). Literary texts by James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and John Cage.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | The Noise of Culture: Literature, Babel, and the Meaning of Meaning |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
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Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
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