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Philosophical theorizing about language now involves an increasing emphasis on empirical work and a renewed convergence with philosophy of mind, formal semantics and logic. This new text reflects this evolution.
Philosophical Perspectives on Language is distinguished in several important respects from other introductions to the topic. Rather than looking at philosophy of language as a collection of (at best) loosely related topics-speech acts, demonstratives, sense and reference, truth and meaning, etc.-this book is organized around a unifying theme: language as a system of symbols that is known and used.



Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Preface
Chapter One: Introduction Three Perspectives on Language Who Cares? Some Terminology
Part One: The System Perspective
Chapter Two: Syntax Introduction Option One - Rule Systems Option Two - Principles and Parameters Epilogue: Prescriptive and Descriptive Syntax
Chapter Three: Direct Reference Three Approaches to Meaning Direct Reference Theories Bertrand Russell on Descriptions
Chapter Four: Mediated Reference Introduction Frege Possible Worlds
Chapter Five: Truth Theoretic Semantics Truth and Meaning Non-Declaratives and Truth
Part Two: The Knowledge Perspective
Chapter Six: The Idea Theory of Meaning Introduction Mental Images H. Paul Grice
Chapter Seven: The Language of Thought Mentalese and the Idea Theory of Meaning An Alternative to LOT: Connectionism Another Alternative to LOT: Dennett's International Stance
Chapter Eight: Knowledge Issues Innateness Rules and Regularities Radical Translation
Part Three: The Use Perspective
Chapter Nine: The Use Theory of Meaning Meaning and Use Indexicals Strawson on Referring Speech Act Theory Quine and Meaning Nihilism
Chapter Ten: Non-Literal Uses Conversational Implication Metaphor Referential-Attributive
Chapter Eleven: Language and Community Non-Literal Use and the Need for Conventions The Private Language Argument Davidson on the Limits of Convention
Chapter Twelve: Conclusion
Notes References Index