Academic Year/course:
2023/24
25515 - The philosophy of language
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
25515 - The philosophy of language
Faculty / School:
103 - Facultad de Filosofía y Letras
Degree:
269 - Degree in Philosophy
587 - Degree in Philosophy
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
2
Semester:
Second semester
Subject type:
Compulsory
Module:
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1. General information
The subject "Philosophy of Language" is part of the area Logic and Philosophy of Science. It focuses on the problems and philosophical developments produced from, first, the semantic linguistic turn (from Frege) and, second, the pragmatic linguistic turn (from Austin and Wittgenstein), the problems that arose, and on the different attempts to solve them.
These approaches and objectives are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of United Nations (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/): Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender Equality; Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 12:Responsible Production and Consumption; Goal 13: Climate Action: Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
2. Learning results
In order to pass this subject, the students shall demonstrate they has acquired the following results:
1. To know the most relevant concepts that characterize the philosophical study of language.
2. To know the logic of language, being able to use it accurately and being attentive to the deceptions and errors that may result from its misuse.
3. To acquire the ability to construct and critique formal and informal arguments, recognizing their strength or weakness and any relevant fallacies.
4. To be able to interpret philosophical texts, placing them within their cultural context and intellectual traditions.
5. To know the main philosophical theories on language explained in class.
3. Syllabus
- Introduction.
- Philosophy of language, analytical philosophy and linguistic philosophy.
- Some historical milestones: Plato, Locke, Stuart Mill.
- Meaning and reference I: Frege.
- Meaning and reference II: Russell
- Meaning and reference III: Strawson and Dennelan
- Meaning and reference IV: Kripke, Putnam
- Meaning and verification, two dogmas; the indeterminacy of translation (Quine).
- Theories of the meaning of truth conditions: Donald Davidson.
- Meaning and intent: P. Grice.
- Speech acts: Austin and Searle.
- Meaning and use: Wittgenstein.
4. Academic activities
Students receive the subject syllabus with the dates of the training and assessment activities
- All text commentaries, seminars and any other proposed activity may be submitted by e-mail, and the teacher's acknowledgement of receipt will suffice as confirmation of delivery.
- All important announcements will be made in class and via email, as well as posted on the bulletin board next to the teacher's office
- Classes will have a duration of two hours. The teacher will explain the contents of the subject in the classes. Students should complement the explanations with the readings recommended in the bibliography and active participation in the classes will be valued. In the practical classes the commentaries of the assigned texts will be performed.
- During tutoring hours, the teacher will provide personalized attention to all students who require it.
Learning activities:
- Theoretical classes.
- Practical classes.
- Work and personal study.
- Evaluation tests or activities.
5. Assessment system
First Call: Continuous Assessment
1. Written test at the end of the term based on a previous questionnaire. 60% of the final grade.
2. Four short text commentaries to be chosen among the different readings proposed in the course syllabus. l 40% of the final grade
Global assessment test.
Examination of the entire content of the syllabus.
It represents 100% of the final grade of the subject.
Second call: Global assessment test identical to the one in the previous call.
Assessment criteria for written tests:
- The concreteness, accuracy and relevance of the answers will be evaluated. Any attempt to distract from the question by bringing up other issues that, although related to the question posed in each case, are not required to give a good answer to it, will be penalized.
- The following skills will be taken into account: bibliographic and data search, the temporal organization of the work done, the organization of the ideas and arguments expressed, the writing and exposition according to academic rules, and the taking of a personal position in those issues that require it.