Language and reality

What is language and linguistic meaning? How do linguistic expressions refer to things and properties in the world? Does truth consist in correspondence between a sentence and the world? Can we use language to describe reality as it is, independently of thought and language? Is linguistic meaning a matter of individual psychology, or is meaning social, or otherwise externally determined? This course provides a introduction to contemporary philosophy of language, introducing the student to the most central theories about meaning and the relationship between language and reality that have been put forward during the last 130 years. Central themes will be Frege's distinction between sense and reference, verificationism, meaning skepticism, causal theories of reference and semantic externalism, speech act theory, language as a foundation for thinking and rationality. Many of the topics covered have important connections to other subfields of philosophy, as well as outside philosophy. The course will be of interest not only to philosophy students, but to anyone interested in thinking about language and reality in a systematic manner, including students of linguistics and artificial intelligence, among other fields.

A student who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome:

Knowledge

• familiarity with the central theories, problems and arguments in contemporary thinking about language and reality

Skills

• ability to discuss and critically reflect over different issues concerning the relationships between language and reality, applying theoretically central concepts and distinctions

Lectures, groups and self-study. In order to sit the exam, students must submit and get approved one written assignment (1600-3200 words, 12-point Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing.) The written assignment is only given in the semester when the subject is taught, but is valid for this and the subsequent semester.