documentary or artefactual
In the following text below "the documentary" and "artefactual" have been categorized in the same group, while they have opposite meanings. What is your impression?

Text:
Hiller’s research into the cultural implications of dream analysis in her writings, as well as her artwork, can usefully extend Freud’s approach into the field of art. She categorises artists’ dream images into three categories: ‘the illustrative or descriptive, which picture or illustrate dream imagery of a more or less conventional kind, the documentary or artefactual, which attempt to achieve a kind of accurate reportage; and the evocative, which are meant to trigger off an experience similar to a dream’ (Art and Psychoanalysis by Maria Walsh).

Question

documentary or artefactual
In the following text below "the documentary"  and "artefactual" have been categorized in the same group, while they have opposite meanings. What is your impression?

Text:
Hiller’s research into the cultural implications of dream analysis in her writings, as well as her artwork, can usefully extend Freud’s approach into the field of art. She categorises artists’ dream images into three categories: ‘the illustrative or descriptive, which picture or illustrate dream imagery of a more or less conventional kind, the documentary or artefactual, which attempt to achieve a kind of accurate reportage; and the evocative, which are meant to trigger off an experience similar to a dream’ (Art and Psychoanalysis by Maria Walsh).

Answer

They’re not opposite meanings. The “or” there between them doesn’t mean they are opposite, it’s a way of restating a word and emphasizing their similarities. The after the word artefactual it goes on to clarify they are both intended to “attempt to achieve a kind of accurate reportage”, which means they both attempt to accurately report on the dreams.

I find this to be an example of writing that is intended to sound academic and impressive rather than trying to clearly describe its intended meaning. It’s very common in academic writing.

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