2-IKV-143  Philosophy of Language

Evaluation during the course: test, essay

Concluding evaluation: test

Subject aim: To familiarize students with philosophy of language (as one of the dominant streams of contemporary philosophy) by using historical and problem-posing approaches. To present philosophy of language as an important turn in history of philosophy and as a new and effective method to resolve or “dissolve” philosophical problems.

Brief curriculum of the subject:

- Frege‘s semantic triangle

- B. Russell and his theory of definite descriptions

- Critics of Russell’s theory of descriptions by P. F. Strawson and by K. S. Donnellan

- Relation between language and „world“ („Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus“ by Wittgenstein)

- Logical positivism and critics of the traditional philosophy and its alleged „pseudo-problems“

- Natural language and constructed language – two aproaches to ordinary language

- W. v. O. Quine and two dogmas of empiricism

- „In Defense of a Dogma“ – H. P. Grice and P. F. Strawson

- Meaning of an expression as an object versus meaning of an expression as its use (usage)

- Late Wittgenstein – rejection of Tractarian view on language and on philosophical analysis

- „Blue and Brown Books“, language games and family resemblances

- „Philosophical Investigations“, meaning of expression as its use, therapeutic view on philosophy,

- Moore‘s defense of common sense and his „proof“ of an external world; Wittgenstein’s notes on certainty

- Language games and following rules („Philosophical Investigations“)

Literature:

Peregrin, J.: Kapitoly z analytické filozofie, Nakladatelství Fil. ústavu AV ÈR, Praha 2005

Lycan, W. G.: Philosophy of Language. A Contemporary Introduction, Routledge 2001

Wittgenstein, L.: Modrá a Hnedá kniha, Kalligram, Bratislava 2002

Wittgenstein, L.: O istote, Kalligram, Bratislava 2006

Oravcová, M. (edit.): Filozofia prirodzeného jazyka, Archa, Bratislava 1992

Kamhal, D.(edit.): Z analytickej filozofie I., UK Bratislava 1993, skriptá

Language in which the subject is taught: Slovak

Date of the last sheet revision: 29. 6. 2007