80-380 Philosophy of Language
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Questions about language, meaning, and communication have a central place in both the history of analytic philosophy and the life of human societies. What do our words mean What do we do by speaking them What is the relationship between what our words literally mean and what we use them to communicate What is it for a statement to be true but misleading In what sense is it possible to experience a distinctively linguistic injustice Should philosophers approach ordinary language as a cause of needless confusion, an indispensable source of insight, or both In what ways is the study of language about the individual mind, in what ways is it about the speaker community In spring 2020 this course will explore some major themes from the last centurys debates in the philosophy meaning and communication, with attention to how these topics connect with social and political questions and with work in feminist philosophy. Students who do not meet the prerequisites but have an interest in the topic are strongly encouraged to reach out to the instructor about exceptions.
Prerequisites: none listed
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