CODE 65030 ACADEMIC YEAR 2018/2019 CREDITS 9 cfu anno 3 LINGUE E CULTURE MODERNE 8740 (L-11) - GENOVA 6 cfu anno LINGUE E CULTURE MODERNE 8740 (L-11) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 2 SCIENZE STORICHE 9917 (LM-84) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 3 FILOSOFIA 8455 (L-5) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 2 FILOSOFIA 8455 (L-5) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 2 LETTERE 8457 (L-10) - GENOVA 9 cfu anno 3 LETTERE 8457 (L-10) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR M-FIL/05 TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER 1° Semester TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB OVERVIEW The (analytical) philosophy of language is the study of the most general properties that make linguistic expressions the main tools we have at our disposal to describe reality and communicate information. The philosophers of language study the properties that make words have a certain meaning. The philosophers of language study these constitutive properties of meaning not from the etymological point of view but from the metaphysical one: in what the meaning of a word consists. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES The course aims to provide students with the basics of the philosophy of language. In particular, the teaching focuses on the notion of true-conditional meaning, namely the idea that the meaning of a statement is given by its conditions of truth and the meaning of a word by its contribution to the truth conditions of the statements in which it occurs as a constituent part. AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of the course students will be able to master the basics of the philosophy of language, in particular the basics of the true-conditional semantics with double index that is used to study the meaning of large fragments of natural languages. Students will also master the notions of reference and denotation, and the notion of direct reference, which are not only central to current debates within the philosophy of language, but are also fundamental conceptual tools used by analytical philosophers in other areas of research, from metaphysics to epistemology. Students will acquire the competence to start autonomous study of essays of philosophy of language. PREREQUISITES The course presupposes the knowledge of logic. TEACHING METHODS Teaching mainly involves standard lectures. Compatibly with the time that will remain available, some hours can be dedicated to the reading and discussion of classic articles of philosophy of language. SYLLABUS/CONTENT Program Part 1 Gottlob Frege and the origins of the analytical philosophy of language Part 2 Key concepts of formal semantics Part 3 Singular terms, reference and denotation Part 4 Reference and necessity RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY Vignolo, M., e Frixione, M., 2018. Filosofia del Linguaggio, Milano: Mondadori. Any in-depth articles will be decided together with the students during the lessons. TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD CARLO PENCO Ricevimento: Office hours for students: Thursday 14-16. Just write me for an appointment. MASSIMILIANO VIGNOLO Ricevimento: Monday 13-15 hours. Exam Board CARLO PENCO (President) MASSIMILIANO VIGNOLO (President) FILIPPO DOMANESCHI MARCELLO FRIXIONE VALERIA OTTONELLI FABIO PATRONE LESSONS LESSONS START 24 September 2018 Monday/ Tuesday / Thursday Monday: H 15-17, room B, Polo didattico Fontane Tuesday: H 15-17, room L, Polo didattico Fontane Thursday: H 15-17, room L, Polo didattico Fontane Class schedule PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION Students can choose between written test or oral exam ASSESSMENT METHODS Students will be assessed on the basis of (i) knowledge of the contents covered during the course, (ii) ability to analyze and reconstruct philosophical arguments, and (iii) appropriateness in the use of philosophical language. Exam schedule Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note 21/01/2019 10:00 GENOVA Orale 21/01/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 04/02/2019 10:00 GENOVA Orale 04/02/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 20/05/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 03/06/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 17/06/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 20/06/2019 10:00 GENOVA Orale 20/06/2019 10:00 GENOVA Orale 08/07/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo 09/09/2019 10:00 GENOVA Orale 09/09/2019 11:00 GENOVA Orale Prof. Vignolo