Syllabus
Course description:
This course covers selected topics in contemporary
analytic philosophy of language, including meaning, reference,
naming, truth, speech acts, propositional attitudes, translation,
and the nature of linguistic representation.
Contact info:
My office is 353 Bartlett Hall. My office
phone is 545-5784. My office hours are Tu 2:00-3:00, W 1:00-2:00 and
most other times by appointment. Feel free to drop by any time I'm in my
office. You may also e-mail me at
klement@philos.umass.edu or call me at home at 259-1154.
Text:
The Philosophy of Language , ed. A.
P. Martinich (4th ed., Oxford, 2000). The text is available at Atticus
Bookstore in downtown Amherst.
Course requirements:
Your final grade will be based on the following
requirements, (1) in-class participation (10%), (2) three exams (20%
each), and (3) a term paper (30%).
Exams: You will take three in-class
essay exams, one in mid-October, one in mid-November and one during finals
week. Each will deal with the material covered in the preceding third of the
course. Study guides for each exam will be distributed beforehand.
Term Paper: Each student is expected
to write a 10-15 page term paper that aims to contribute something
original to the discussion of any of the philosophical issues discussed
in the course. The amount of outside research done for the paper is
left to your discretion, but at least a brief look at the more important
outside sources on your topic is recommended. You are encouraged to speak
to me about your paper in advance, and if possible, submit one or more rough
drafts. The paper is due at the end of finals week.
See also the Course
Reading Schedule
Return to the Course
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