OVERVIEW

The analytic philosophy of language is the study of the constitutive 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 determinate meanings. The philosophers of language study these constitutive properties of meaning not from the etymological point of view but from the metaphysical one: that in which 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 truth-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 in 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 in philosophy of language and analytic philosophy.

PREREQUISITES

VERY IMPORTANT: The course presupposes the knowledge of logic. The course is strongly discouraged for students who do not attend classes.

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, necessity, a priori/a posteriori

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

Exam Board

MASSIMILIANO VIGNOLO (President)

FILIPPO DOMANESCHI

VALERIA OTTONELLI (Substitute)

FABIO PATRONE (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

27 September 2021
Monday 15-17, Tuesday 15-17, Friday 17-19
Room G, Balbi 4

Teams code: os4fktz

Class schedule

PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Students can choose a written test or an oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Students will be assessed on the basis of (i) knowledge of the contents covered during the course, (ii) ability to analyse and reconstruct philosophical arguments, and (iii) appropriateness in the use of philosophical language.

Exam schedule