Aims

The student should be able to understand what is at stake in philosophical debates concerning language; if the student wishes, he or she is invited to pursue further research in this area.

Main themes

The aim of the course is to complete the introductions to logic and the philosophy of language received. The focus of the course is on the study of different Ancient and contemporary theories of grammaticality and meaning.

Content and teaching methods

The course begins with an outline of the main contemporary currents in the philosophy of language: formal languages approach, abstract analysis of "ordinary" language, formalization of natural language. Then it points out the three levels of analysis of the language: grammar-syntax, logic-semantics and rhetoric-pragmatics, while sticking more particularly to grammar and rhetoric. For this purpose, it exposes basic notions of phrase structure grammars (Chomsky) and categorial grammars (Ajdukiewicz, Bar Hillel). It introduces to pragmatics by starting with concepts of rhetoric, in particular those of "argument" and argumentation, while insisting on what distinguishes them from the parallel logical concepts of reasoning and demonstration. Lastly, it thoroughly examines some questions of semantics from an historical point of view: e.g. the "lecton" of the stoics, medieval consequentiae, Frege's sense and denotation, Russell's theory of descriptions, the theory of the proper names by Mill and Kripke.

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

Pre-requisites:
A first year logic or philosophy language course is required.

Assessment:
Oral exam

Supporting material:
Class notes

Programmes in which this activity is taught

Other credits in programs