Estilo y estructura del imaginario científico de Jorge Wagensberg: semántica y entramado léxico

Abstract

This paper further develops a previous study entitled “Linguistic construction of a scientific imagery” about Wagensberg’s scientific and literary work, and it deals with the most outstanding mechanisms and linguistic resources of his recently-published scientific and divulgative work, The Intellectual Joy. The study and interpretation of structures, as well as the evaluation of particular stylistic features, such as questions and creative statements, demonstrate very different characteristics in both parts of the book, the Theory and the Practice. The titles corresponding to the broad sections in Practice, guarantee tension and conceptual diversity, whereas the titles of the different chapters can be grouped in common characters, according to thematic paradigms, cultural focalizations and humorous patterns. A final review of the index of concepts shows the list of terms that clarify and reveal the power of semantic attractors which consolidate the ideas of Wagensberg’s scientific imagery.