Philosophy of Language

Description

This course seeks to introduce students to some attempts at outlining the definition and purpose of philosophy of language. From there students will be taken through some traditional problems of philosophy of language such as theories of meaning, reference and denoting, and how these have been debated. The importance of language as a communicative tool that conveys meaning and intentions as well as our own understanding of the world is obvious. This course will seek to take students through this importance from a philosophical perspective.

Table of contents 

1. The Shape of the Problems

2. Theories of Meaning

3. Earlier Thought

4. Wittgenstein on Philosophy of Language
5. The Problem of Meaning in Linguistics

6. Two Perspectives on Knowledge of Language

7. On Denoting

8. Why "On Denoting"?

9. Russellianism and Referential Uses of Descriptions

10. On Sense and Direct Reference

11. On Referring

12. Meaning

13. Meaning and Intention: An Examination of Grice's Views

14. Grice on Meaning: 50 Years Later

15. Inferentialism and Some of Its Challenges