General provisions

The Department of Philosophy is responsible for this course.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements and History 1b/1a1+1a2, Social Studies 1b/1a1+1a2 or History A, Civics A

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course, students are expected to have acquired a good understanding of the themes and questions discussed. Students are expected to be able to

• use the concepts and distinctions necessary for critical discussion and be able to evaluate the theories and arguments studied
• account for an overall understanding of the course's central themes
• account for and be able to give a systematic treatment of central contemporary questions within philosophy of language
• have good knowledge of the relevant fields in philosophy of language
• analyse strengths and weaknesses in the theories studied
• use theoretical tools and resources to argue for and against the theories studied

Content

The course covers central topics and questions about language and its functions, for instance those pertaining to the meaning and reference of words and sentences. We look at central concepts in the philosophy of language and use them in the analysis of core theories about language and its functions. We further develop arguments for and against these theories and use them in the investigation of the theories' strengths and weaknesses.

Instruction

Teaching consists of lectures and seminars.

Assessment

The examination consists of presentations, home assignments, and a take-home exam.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions to the specified examination method and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can be. e.g. special educational support from the university's coordinator for students with disabilities.