PHIL 345.001 – Reference and Meaning

Instructor: Gillian Russell. This course meets MW 3:35 – 4:50 p.m. in DE 202.

This is an upper-level undergraduate course in the philosophy of language. There will be two main sections. The first introduces a number of classic, central topics in the area, including e.g. names, descriptions, implicature and externalism as well as many of the tools necessary for later parts of the course. The second looks at applications of this work in the political sphere, such as treatments of slurs, propaganda, and the treatment of pornography as free speech.

Our subject is heavily influenced by work in logic, and to an increasing extent, by the work of theoretical linguists. Previous courses in these areas may help you, though they are not required.

Prerequisite: at least 1 PHIL course