Postgraduate Course: Philosophy of Language (PHIL11022)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Philosophers sometimes distinguish between semantic theories and meta-semantic theories. On one useful way of unpacking that distinction, semantic theories provide interpretations of meaningful units of natural languages which fix the truth-conditions of sentences as uttered in a given context. Such theories are typically recursive, in order to make sense of the compositionality of meaning. On the other hand, meta-semantic theories are usefully understood as theories of that in virtue of which meaningful units of natural languages have the meanings they do. Whereas a semantic theory tells us, roughly, what a word or sentence means, a meta-semantic theory tells us what it is for a word or sentence to mean this or that. This focus of this class will be on meta-semantics. We discuss and investigate some of the leading meta-semantic theories and try to assess their relative plausibility.
Shared with UG Course PHIL10005 Philosophy of Language.
Taught by Dr Brian Rabern
Formative feedback available;
- students will have the opportunity to submit a formative essay on Learn by week 6 deadline (Monday 21st October by 12 noon) |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 10 |
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 21,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
173 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
| The coursework involves close and critical analysis of various historical and current views on central issues in the philosophy of language. Students are asked to read, critically assess and discuss some of the most important texts in these fields. Students are encouraged to develop their skills in individual research through the writing of essays, and to develop their critical, analytic and communication skills through informal discussion and oral presentations in tutorial groups. |
Assessment Information
One 2,500 word essay.
Assignment deadline: Monday 16th December 2013, 12 noon
Word limit: 2500 words maximum
Return deadline: Tuesday 21st January 2014 |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Brian Rabern
Tel:
Email: brian.rabern@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk |
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