English translation: gestalt-theoretical phenomena (mechanism)
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German to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Philosophy / Fritz Köhler
German term or phrase:gestalttheoretischer Mechanismus
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.
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. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
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.
"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
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.
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!
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.
I can find references only to Wolfgang Köhler who founded Gestalt psychology.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 22 mins (2009-04-26 21:38:09 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
Anytime... Learned something new again :-) I love translations.
Lingua.Franca Local time: 14:14 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
Grading 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.
Notes to answerer
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.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
