Philosophy of Language

Module overview

Philosophy of language explores the nature of meaning, language, and communication. What is it for a word or sentence – things which in and of themselves are simply noises or marks on a page – to mean something? What is it for a word to refer to something in the world? What is it for a sentence to express someone’s thought? This module will address these questions by considering the work and ideas of some of the central figures in the philosophy of language, including Frege, Russell, Quine, Grice, and Kripke.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

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

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

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

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.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

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

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	117
Teaching	33
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

M Morris (2007). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language (Cambridge Introductions to Philosophy). Cambridge University Press.

W Lycan (1999). Philosophy of Language: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge.

Assessment

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	40%
Essay	60%

Referral

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	100%

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	40%
Essay	60%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External