Philosophy of Language

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the central doctrines of contemporary philosophy of language.
• the capacity of these doctrines to account for key elements in our understanding of the meaning, language, and communication.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• undertake, with adequate supervision, independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.
• work effectively to deadlines.
• take notes from talks and written materials.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• present and debate ideas in writing, in an open minded and rigorous way.
• articulate and defend your own views on the topic and to relate the issues they concern to issues in other areas of philosophy.

The syllabus may vary from year to year. Topics may include:

1) Locke on the nature of language

2) Frege on sense and reference

3) Russell and Strawson on definite descriptions

4) Kripke on proper names

5) Davidson on truth and meaning

6) Grice on meaning and communication

Teaching methods include

• Lectures
• In class discussion
• One to one consultation with the module coordinator

Learning activities include

• Attending classes
• Contributing to class discussion
• Preparing for and completing assessment tasks
• Applying techniques and skills learnt to your reading and writing inside and outside the module

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Essay proposal

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback:
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No
• Percentage contribution: 100%

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.