ARTICOLI / 5 / Wolfgang Wildgen /
As a discipline, Philosophy lies in a field that is beyond science and it is, in this respect, comparable to art. Therefore, the topic of continua and catastrophes is dealt in relation to both of them. We define the term “catastrophe” primary in relation to the catastrophe theory, but, for informal contexts, standard cases of (natural) catastrophes are good examples for the content of this notion. First, we will sketch major trends in the History of Philosophy and especially major linguistic strategies used to treat problems of philosophy (Greek and Renaissance philosophy as well as the modern Analytic philosophy are discussed in some detail). Catastrophe theory can catch aspects of the dynamics in the field of philosophy. In a second part are analyzed, instead, major revolutions, i.e. dramatic changes in the history of art. We will especially deal with Leonardo da Vinci, William Turner, Henry Moore and Salvador Dali. In the case of Dalì, we establish a link to René Thom, the founder of catastrophe theory. Dalì met Thom in his home and several paintings of Dalì treat the topic of catastrophe in the sense of Thom.
