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.
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.
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.
The course presupposes the knowledge of logic.
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.
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
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.
Ricevimento: Office hours for students: Thursday 14-16. Just write me for an appointment.
Ricevimento: Monday 13-15 hours.
CARLO PENCO (President)
MASSIMILIANO VIGNOLO (President)
FILIPPO DOMANESCHI
MARCELLO FRIXIONE
VALERIA OTTONELLI
FABIO PATRONE
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
PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
Students can choose between written test or oral exam
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.
