[CLASS 1]

Characteristics of Philosophy of Language: elementary terminology, fundamental issues, methods + organisation of the class, passing conditions etc.

No reading

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[CLASS 2]

Philosophy of Language before Frege: what does language consist of and what does language express? - Mill’s theory of names; explanation of the notion of ”proposition” (Bolzano, Moore, Russell)

Reading: Mill - Of Names

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[CLASS 3]

What’s the difference between ’’Mount Everest” and ”Chomolungma”? - Frege’s theory of sense and reference

Reading: Frege - On Sense and Reference

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[CLASS 4] 

Is the present king of France bold? - Russells’s Theory of Descriptions

Reading: Russell - Descriptions

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[CLASS 5] 

”The present king of France is bald” is neither false….nor true! - Strawson’s arguments against Russell’s theory

Reading: Strawson - On Referring

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[CLASS 6] 

Can Donald Trump become the reference of ”the present king of France”? - Donnellan’s attributive-referential distinction

Reading: Donnellan - Reference and Definite Descriptions

[CLASS 7] 

Class DEBATE: semantic vs pragmatic approach toward definite descriptions.

No reading

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[CLASS 8] 

What requirements do you have to meet to refer to Plato with the name 'Plato'? - Searle’s Descriptivism

Reading: Searle - Proper Names

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[CLASS 9] 

Possible worlds, identity, Descriptivism rejected, causal chains theory, theoretical identities, mind-body problem solved, and a lot more - Kripke’s ’'Naming and Necessity'.

Reading: Kripke - Naming and Necessity, Lecture ONE

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[CLASS 10]

Possible worlds, identity, Descriptivism rejected, causal chains theory, theoretical identities, mind-body problem solved, and a lot more - Kripke’s ’'Naming and Necessity'.

Reading: Kripke - Naming and Necessity, Lecture ONE & TWO

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[CLASS 11]

Possible worlds, identity, Descriptivism rejected, causal chains theory, theoretical identities, mind-body problem solved, and a lot more - Kripke’s ’'Naming and Necessity'.

Reading: Kripke - Naming and Necessity, Lecture TWO

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[CLASS 12]

Possible worlds, identity, Descriptivism rejected, causal chains theory, theoretical identities, mind-body problem solved, and a lot more - Kripke’s ’'Naming and Necessity'.

Reading: Kripke - Naming and Necessity, Lecture THREE

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[CLASS 13]

Saying is doing [?]

Reading: Austin - Performative Utterances

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[CLASS 14]

Reading between the lines - the theory of conversational implicatures

Reading: Grice - Logic and Conversation 

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[CLASS 15]

Overview of various theories of meaning.

No reading

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The final grade is evaluated as:

0,7x final-exam-grade + 0,3x participation-grade.

FINAL EXAM

The final exam takes place at the end of the semester and it concerns all the topics discussed during the semester. It is written and has a mixed form of open and closed questions. 

PARTICIPATION

Participation-grade reflects student's activity during discussions. 

Students who do not find themselves well in discussions can fulfill this requirement and receive ’’participation-grade” by giving a short presentation concerning paper / topic designated by the tutor.

ABSENCES

Every student can - for any reason - miss 2 classes during the semester without any consequence. Every absence above that limit results in reducing student's final exam result by 10%. 

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Practical information