Philosophy 352 - The Philosophy of Language

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

Since the early 20th century, philosophical inquiry into the nature of language has revolved around the notion of meaning, and questions of how it comes about that our words can make "contact" with the world, our thoughts, and eachother. This course explores two living traditions that attempt to answer these questions. The "semantic" approach, associated with GottlobFrege, Bertrand Russell, and Saul Kripke, emphasizes reference and the logical structure of language; while the "pragmatic" approach associatedwith LudwigWittgenstein, J. L. Austin, and Paul Grice emphasizes communication and our everyday uses of language. Through readings from these and other philosophers, students assess the strengths and limitations of both approaches. The course concludes with a discussion of metaphor, a linguistic phenomenon often thought to present difficulties for philosophical theories of language.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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