Philosophy of Language (i) (2009/2010)

Learning outcomes

This course aims to provide an introduction to an analysis of meaning in natural language, with specific attention for the tradition of studies within analytic philosophy. The central issue will the be the relationship between language and communication, that will be investigated by taking into consideration both cognitivist and pragmatic theories of meaning. Within this framework, some leading ideas in the tradition of the philosophy of language will be elucidated, with reference to Frege, Wittgenstein, Quine, Chomsky, Kripke and Grice.

Basic insights and ideas in the tradition of the philosophy of language, from Frege to Kripke. The issue of meaning and the issue of reference. The cognitivist perspective vs. the pragmatic perspective: language as a cognitive structure and language as a set of principles regulating the use of linguistic structures.

Written test