Claudine Verheggen

cverheg@yorku.ca

Of all human affairs, Dewey wrote, linguistic communication is the most wonderful.  It is wonderful because it enables people to get things done, by expressing their wishes, fears, hopes, beliefs, requests, etc., and because it enables them to get informed about the world around them and about each other.  Now people can achieve all of this by means of language because the sounds and marks they use are endowed with meaning.  Meaning is thus the central concept to be studied in this course, which will address issues that fall into two broad categories, one having to do with the nature of linguistic meaning and its relation to language users, the other having to do with the relation between meaning and reference, i.e., the ability of words to hook on to extra-linguistic reality.

We’ll try to get clear about the nature of linguistic meaning by considering the relationships between the meaning of words and what people mean by using them, between what people say and what they do in speaking and by speaking, between what people say and what they intend to say, between what people mean by their words and what other members of their community mean by them.  Must people be socially situated in order to possess any language at all?  To what extent, if any, do claims about what it takes to communicate with others shape our claims about the nature of meaning and language?

We’ll examine the relation between language and extra-linguistic reality by asking how different types of linguistic expressions – proper names, descriptions, predicates, demonstratives, etc. – manage to refer to various parts of the world.  What is the relation between meaning and truth?  Does the physical environment people live in play an essential role in determining the meaning of their words and, if so, what role exactly?  Or is the meaning of people’s words only a function of their mental states?

Classes will be online, delivered synchronously over Zoom.  Students will be expected to appear on video for class participation, and so, in addition to a stable, higher-speed Internet connection, students will need a computer with a webcam and a microphone, and/or a smart device with these features.  Classes will not be recorded.

Here are some useful links for computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.

Times and locations:

Classes will be delivered over Zoom at the scheduled meeting time (Tu 2:30-5:30).

There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus.

Virtual office hours:

Office hours will be by appointment only.  Students should email the instructor at cverheg@yorku.ca to make an appointment.  A Zoom meeting will then be scheduled.

All the required readings will be posted on Moodle.

1. First take-home examination: 20%
2. Second take-home examination: 30%
3. Term Paper: 50%

There will be 3 components to class assessment: two take-home examinations and one term paper.

Study questions, to help with the readings, and outlines, to help with the class meetings, will be posted weekly on the course Moodle site.  Note, however, that these outlines will not be replacing the classes, and that attending classes is essential to doing well in the course.

1. Students will be able to engage the major contemporary debates in the philosophy of language, as well as the arguments and theories underlying various positions in those debates.
2. Students will be able to think critically about the nature of linguistic meaning, reference, truth, and communication.
3. Students will develop advanced analytic and communicative skills in philosophy; namely, the ability to articulate and defend a coherent thesis within an essay, as well as the ability to absorb, synthesize and reflect upon complex information gained from reading assignments or in a classroom setting.

The two take-home examinations and the final paper must be submitted BOTH to Turnitin AND to the instructor via email.  Late examinations or papers will be subject to a penalty of 2.5% per calendar day or fraction thereof, unless prior approval has been granted by the instructor.