Aims

The aim of the course is to supplement the training in logic acquired.

Main themes

The content changes every year.

Content and teaching methods

The course opens with an overview of the key contemporary positions in the philosophy of language: the approach of formal languages; the informal analysis of language (that is, "ordinary" language); the formalization of natural language. We then move into the three levels of linguistic analysis: grammatical-syntactical, logical-semantic, rhetorical-pragmatic, paying particular attention to the grammatical and the rhetorical. To that end, we shall examine the rudiments of phrase structure grammars (Chomsky) and categorialgrammars (Ajdukiewicz), as well as Montague's grammar for a fragment of English. We shall introduce pragmatics through concepts elaborated in rhetoric, notably, those of argument and argumentation, while insisting that these are different from the logical notions of reasoning and demonstration. Finally, we shall examine in a detailed manner certain semantic notions from a historical perspective: the "lecton" of the Stoics, the Medieval suppositions, sense and meaning in Frege, Russell's theory of description, and the theory of proper names of Mill and Kripke.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Pre-requisites
A first-year logic course is required.

Assessment:
Oral exam.

Supporting material:
Class notes.

Other credits in programs