Bachelor
2021/2022
Philosophy of Language
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Compulsory course (Philosophy)
Area of studies:
Philosophy
Delivered by:
School of Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
2 year, 3 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
everyone
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This is an introduction to the philosophy of language, with a focus on contemporary philosophy of language in the analytic philosophical tradition. In the first half of the course, students will read some classics of the analytic tradition (Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Austin) and be introduced to a number of notions, distinctions, and problems that form the background and toolbox of contemporary philosophy of language. In the second half of the course, we will discuss some issues in contemporary philosophy of linguistics (the principle of compositionality, basics of formal semantics, event semantics).
Learning Objectives
- Introduce students to the basic problems, themes, and notions of philosophy of language in the analytic tradition.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Master Austin tripartite of speech acts into locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts; master the notion of uptake and the distinction between perlocutionary object and perlocutionary effect; be able to discuss how Austin's analysis to Frege's distinction between force and content.
- Master Austin's distinction between constative and performative utterances
- Master Frege's distinction between concept, objects, and functions. Capacity to analyze sentences in accordance with Frege's framework.
- Master Frege's distinction between sense and reference, and the problems it was supposed to solve
- Master Russell's analysis of definite description and its philosophical motivations.
- Master Wittgenstein's views about the nature of philosophical problems and their origins in the misleading character of language. Ability to connect these views to passages in the "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus" and "the Philosophical Investigations."
- Master Davidson's views on semantics and ontology of events.
- Master Frege's views about the meaning and reference.
- Master the distinction between semantics and pragmatics
Course Contents
- Frege on sense and reference
- Russell on definite descriptions
- Wittgenstein on philosophy as a critique of language
- Austin's theory of speech acts
- Philosophy of Language and Philosophy of Linguistics
- Basic Ideas of Formal Semantics
- Events in Semantics
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 3rd module0.2 * Участие Часть I + 0.2 * Participation Part II + 0.6 * Essay
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Austin, J. (1962). How to do things with words. Germany, Europe: Clarendon Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.B157973A
- Frege, G. (1892). Über Sinn und Bedeutung (vollständige digitalisierte Ausgabe). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.B1940401
- RUSSELL, B. (1905). Ii.——On Denoting. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.2F9DEE3F
- Wittgenstein, L. (2010). Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus : German and English. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=782962
- Wittgenstein, L., Pears, D. F., & McGuinness, B. (2001). Tractatus Logico-philosophicus. London: Taylor & Francis [CAM]. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=70629
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- McGinn, C. (2015). Philosophy of Language : The Classics Explained. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=956432