An introduction to the foundational works in the philosophical study of language, including Frege and Russell on sense and reference, logical positivism, Moore on moral language, and Quine on analyticity.
This paper is ideal both for the serious philosophy student who wants to get to grips with the most important analytic philosophers of the first half of the 20th century and for the student who wishes to get a sense of what 20th-century analytic philosophy of language involves. The paper is taught by Professor Alex Miller, the author of one of the world's leading textbooks on the philosophy of language.
| Paper title | An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language (Advanced) |
|---|---|
| Paper code | PHIL336 |
| Subject | Philosophy |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $955.05 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- One 200-level PHIL paper
- Restriction
- PHIL 236
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Contact
- alex.miller@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Course co-ordinator: Professor Alex Miller
- Paper Structure
Assessment:
- Two 3,000-word essays, each worth 20% (40% total)
- Exam - 60%
- Teaching Arrangements
One 2-hour lecture and one 1-hour seminar per week.
- Textbooks
Alexander Miller, Philosophy of Language (3rd edition Routledge 2018).
A.J. Ayer, Language, Truth and Logic (Dover Books 1946, or any other available edition).- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Scholarship, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
By the end of the paper, PHIL 336 students will acquire:
- The ability to make philosophical analyses and to present and assess philosophical arguments to a high standard
- The ability to grasp and critically discuss central issues in philosophy of language
- A demonstrated ability to explain and assess philosophical positions and arguments in their own words
- An ability to adopt and defend their own position in debates in the philosophy of language
- An ability to apply central concepts of philosophy of language to philosophical debates in other areas
