Seminar in Philosophy of Language - B
Persone
Docente titolare del corso
Docente titolare del corso
Descrizione
Quinean topics in semantics and ontology. W. V. O. Quine was one of the most influential analytic philosophers of the 20th century. However, explicitly card-carrying Quinean philosophers are rare today. Nevertheless, a solid understanding of Quine’s work remains essential for engaging with contemporary debates in the philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and metaphysics.
In this seminar, we will explore four classic Quinean topics at the intersection of semantics and ontology: (i) the indeterminacy of translation, (ii) opacity, (iii) ontological commitment, and
(iv) criteria of identity. For each topic, we will reconstruct Quine’s original position, examine its reception, and consider its ongoing relevance in contemporary philosophical discussions.
Obiettivi
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Modalità di insegnamento
In presenza
Impostazione pedagogico-didattica
Lectures combined with seminar-style discussions, centered around the reading and analysis of selected classic texts by Quine.
Modalità d’esame
The final assessment consists of writing a paper on a topic agreed upon with the instructors.
Bibliografia
- Quine, W. V.. Word and object. New ed.. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2013.
- Van Orman Quine, Willard. "“On What There Is”" The Review of Metaphysics, 2, 1 (1948). (Reprinted in From a Logical Point of View: 1-19.)
- Van Orman Quine, Willard. "“Quantifiers and Propositional Attitudes”" Journal of Philosophy, 53 (1956): 177-87.
- Van Orman Quine, Willard. "“Two Dogmas of Empiricism”" Philosophical Review, 60 (1951): 20-43. (Reprinted in From a Logical Point of View, pp. 20-46.)
Programma
- Bachelor of Arts in Filosofia, Seminario, A scelta, 2° anno
- Bachelor of Arts in Filosofia, Seminario, A scelta, 3° anno
