Philosophy of Language
Instance: 2015/2016 - 1S
Cycles of Study/Courses
Acronym |
No. of Students |
Study Plan |
Curricular Years |
Credits UCN |
Credits ECTS |
Contact hours |
Total Time |
FILO |
57 |
FILO - Study Plan |
3 |
- |
6 |
4 |
|
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
The main purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the themes of sense and reference and, more generally, of the relations between language, thought and the world as dealt with within the philosophy of language. In order to pursue such goal a close reading of the works of some main authors in the history of philosophy of language since late 19th century to mid 20th century is undertaken (namely Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein). A further goal is to understand the relations between current philosophy of language on the one hand and the history of analytic philosophy and the sciences of language on the other.
Learning outcomes and competences
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Compare and contrast topics in sciences of language with topics in the philosophy of language.
- Discuss approaches of sense and reference, and in general, of language-thought-world relations, in the works of Frege, Russell and Wittgenstein.
- Characterize non-analytic approaches to language.
Working method
Presencial
Program
PART I
Philosophy of language and sciences of language
Syntax, semantics, pragmatics. Natural languages and formal languages. Noam Chomsky: a revolution in Linguistics. Brain and language. Human language and animal languages.
PART II
Sense and reference in the history of philosophy of language
1. G. Frege: a close reading of Über Sinn und Bedeutung (1892). Frege’s puzzle. Sense and reference of singular terms, simple sentences, complex sentences.
2. B. Russell: from logical atomism to the Theory of Descriptions. A close reading of On Denoting (1905).
3. L. Wittgenstein. 3.1 The Picture theory of language: a close Reading of the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. The status of logic and of the philosophical subject in the Tractatus. 3.2 The meaning of use: a study of the Philosophical Investigations (1953). Private language. Following rules. Pluralism and pragmatism.
4. Philosophy of language after Wittgenstein. Ordinary language philosophy. The programmes of W. V. Quine and D. Davidson’s. Metaphor: the nature of non-literal meaning.
PART III
Non-analytic approaches language
The status of language in the philosophy of Heidegger, Habermas, Foucault and Derrida.
Mandatory literature
Beaney, Michael 340;
The^frege reader. ISBN: 0-631-19445-2
Dummett, Michael; The origins of analytic philosophy, Cambridge MA, Harvard University Press, 1993
Frege, Gottlob, 1848-1925;
Lógica e filosofia da linguagem. ISBN: 978-81-314-1180-9
Fromkin, Victoria;
An^introduction to language. ISBN: 0-03-018682-X
Lycan, William G;
Philosophy of language. ISBN: 0-415-17116-4
Martinich, A. P. 340;
The^philosophy of language. ISBN: 0-19-513543-1
Miguens, Sofia;
Filosofia da linguagem. ISBN: 978-972-8932-28-2
Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951;
Tratado lógico-filosófico
Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951;
Philosophical investigations
Complementary Bibliography
Gazzaniga, Michael; Cognitive Neuroscience, New York, Norton, 1998
Pinker, Stephen; The Language Instinct, London, Penguin, 1994
Chomsky, Noam, 1928-;
Knowledge of language
Hale, Bob 340;
A^companion to the philosophy of language. ISBN: 0-631-16757-9
Editor: Edward ZALTA; The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http.//plato.stanford.edu), The Metaphysics Research Lab Center for the Study of Language and Information Stanford University Stanford
Teaching methods and learning activities
Lectures; close reading and discussion of texts. One of the Professors teaching the course is the author of a philosophy of language textbook, which is used for the Basic progression of topics – enlarged discussions start from there. Topics are further discussed through selected texts (available online, in selections prepared by the two professors, for each one of the main divisions of the syllabus). Students are required and encouraged to participate in class. Students may propose a a research work in order that they be eligible for a final grade.
keywords
Humanities > Philosophy > Semiotics
Humanities > Philosophy > Logic
Humanities > language sciences > Linguistics
Evaluation Type
Evaluation with final exam
Assessment Components
Designation |
Weight (%) |
Exame |
100,00 |
Total: |
100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
Designation |
Time (hours) |
Estudo autónomo |
108,00 |
Frequência das aulas |
54,00 |
Total: |
162,00 |
Eligibility for exams
According to the regulations in force.
Calculation formula of final grade
Final exam.
Examinations or Special Assignments
Not applicable.
Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)
In accordance with the Regulations in force.
Classification improvement
In accordance with the Regulations in force.