Author Description

Epistemological Problems outlines a critical approach that moves between deconstruction and pragmatics. It does not prescribe any norms; it does not set out to teach anyone how to translate. Instead, it poses and encourages the basic questions 'Why?' and 'How do you know?', which should be asked whenever anyone tells us anything about translation and the way it should be taught. The book is based on a seminar that took place with the participation of students and teachers at the translation school in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. The written version explains epistemological problems as simply as possible, following the oral style of the original discussions and referring to numerous local examples. The chapter titles are as follows: 1. The primacy of doubt 2. Translation and deconstruction 3. Making sense of indeterminism 4. The uncertain authority of informants 5. The practice of semiosis 6. Principles for the teaching of translation 7. The positive uses of authority 8. The negotiation of mistakes and errors.