PHL313 Philosophy of Language
Professor: Craig DeLancey
Office: CC217
Email: delancey@oswego.edu
Current Assignments
14 May: final exam or paper.
EXAM:
. 10:30 a.m. -- 12:30 p.m. Topics and
kinds of questions include perhaps something from the midterm;
but mostly some multiple choice questions and some short answer
questions concerning such issues as:
- Describe the truth-based theory of meaning. What is
the modal logic extenion of this theory? What problem is
that extension meant to solve?
- Describe the use-theory of meaning.
- Contrast the use and truth theories of meaning. What's
a benefit and difficulty with each?
- What are performative utterances? What are some examples
of performative utterances?
- Why might performative utterances pose a problem for the
truth based theory of meaning?
- What is Davidson's theory of metaphor?
- What is the paradox regarding rule-following that
Kripke claims to find in Wittgenstein's book Philosophical
Investigations? Explain the paradox carefully, and use
an example.
- What is the "Sapir-Whorf" hypothesis? How does Whorf suggest
that differences between Hopi and SAE shape differences in how the
two cultural groups conceive of the world?
- What is the "indeterminancy of reference" that Quine claims
exists?
PAPER If you are doing a paper, you must tell me that
you are before the final. You can change your mind and take
the final, but that too I'd like to be warned about. The final
paper must be 5 or more typed pages, 1 inch margin, 12 pt font.
Write on one of the following topics; let me know what you're
writing on; and if you want to pursue another topic clear it
with me first. Use my paper format recommendations available
here. Papers are due in my office by 12:30 p.m.
on Wednesday 14 May. Topics:
- The Liar is the sentence, "This sentence is false."
Why is this sentence a problem for the truth-based theory
of meaning? In your answer, explain Davidson's version of
the theory, with the Tarski-biconditionals; show how one
is (in principle) hoping to account of the meaning of
normal sentences (like, "the cat is on the mat"); and use
this to explain why The Liar is a problem. Evaluate
Davidson's answer, if you can. Is The Liar an
insurmountable problem, or not?
- Defend a Truth-based meaning theory account of a bit
of performative language, such as, "close the window!"
What kind of declarative sentence might it (implicitly) be
dependent upon? How might it best be related to it? This is
a task in starting a defense of a truth-based theory of meaning
as a theory of the meaning of all utterances, not just
declarative sentences.
- Compare and contrast the Davidsonian causal theory
of metaphor with the Martinich theory. Pick a particular
metaphor as your working example. Which is the better
theory? Why?
- How is the Kripkenstein paradox related to Wittgenstein's
claim that there cannot be a private language? Explain carefully
the Kripkenstein paradox, and then show how it is evidence for,
or perhaps even entails, the claim that there cannot be a
private language. If we solve the Kripkenstein paradox, do
we then show that there could be a private language?
Tentative assignments