what is language? What do the words we use refer to? Why are only some of the noises we make (or the symbols we scribble) meaningful, while others are meaningless? Can language be reduced to logic and is the language of logic coherent? what makes words refer to different things in different situations? Do people who speak different native languages interpret the world differently? Ultimately, what is the fundamental relationship between the language, its speakers, and the world?
These difficult and mind-boggling questions form the basis of the philosophy of language, a fundamental branch of contemporary philosophical thought. While philosophers throughout history have always pondered the mysteries of language and meaning, it was in the 20th century that linguistic analysis really became a rigorous and dominant consideration for philosophers, spawning the so-called “analytic” tradition. ” of philosophy.
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the reason that guides these ‘analytic’ philosophers is that many philosophical problems, such as the central issues within metaphysics or epistemology, are best approached by reducing the problem to logic or by taking a serious look at the language that is used to describe. the problem. the idea is that as soon as the logic or language has been properly unraveled (usually through careful step-by-step analysis), many “problems” will dissolve, or at least their true nature will be revealed.
as the great 20th century philosopher ludwig wittgenstein says:
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philosophy is a battle against the spell of our intelligence through language.
This reading list is designed to give you a comprehensive introduction to the major controversies, theories, and debates within the philosophy of language. after reading it, you’ll have a much clearer idea of why the symbols you’re scanning from left to right on this screen mean anything.
1. philosophy of language: the classics explained, by colin mcginn
most major works on the philosophy of language are, ironically, notoriously difficult to understand. In his excellent 2015 Philosophy of Language: The Classics Explained, the British philosopher Colin McGinn attempts to rectify this by providing clear exposition and commentary on the leading thinkers on the subject, including Frege, Russell, and Kaplan. At 240 pages, this is a highly accessible entry point to a challenging topic, and puts anyone interested in the philosophy of language on the right path to rich and illuminating discovery.
2. philosophy of language, by scott soames
American philosopher Scott Soames is himself a major contributor to the field of contemporary philosophy of language. In his 2010 Philosophy of Language, Soames sets out to present the history and central themes of the subject, addressing its development during the 20th century, before sharing his vision of where the subject will go in the future. A brilliant sketch of the philosophy of language by one of its leading contemporary thinkers, this book is highly recommended for all serious students of the subject.
3. the philosophy of language (6th edition), by a. p. martinich & david sosa
If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all things philosophy of language, look no further than a. p. Martinich and David Sosa’s 2012 epic anthology, The Philosophy of Language (6th Edition). Incorporating forty-eight of the most important articles in the field, and peppered with well-organized contextual commentary, this is an essential addition to the library of serious students of the philosophy of languages.
4. treatise logico-philosophicus, by ludwig wittgenstein
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Going from introductions and anthologies to primary works in the field, what better place to start than with a book that sparked much of the initial excitement about what the rigorous study of language could accomplish? The only book Wittgenstein published during his lifetime, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921) sent shock waves of influence through the philosophical community by proclaiming that philosophy is a matter of logic rather than metaphysics. By no means an easy read, Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus attempts to establish the logical relations between language and the world, igniting a generation of thinkers who thought that by reducing all problems to logic, they would eventually solve all philosophical problems. that exist. . So should you pick this book? Well, Bertrand Russell hailed Wittgenstein’s achievement as “something no serious philosopher can afford to neglect.”
5. philosophical investigations, by ludwig wittgenstein
you might be thinking: “wait, didn’t wittgenstein already solve everything with his tractatus logico-philosophicus?” apparently not, as he continued to wrestle with problems of language and logic throughout his life, and the posthumous publication of Philosophical Inquiries in 1953 once again caused a stir in the philosophical community, as the arguments it contained seemed to contradict many of Wittgenstein’s earlier conclusions: specifically around the reducibility of language to logic. Widely regarded as one of the most important philosophical works of the 20th century, philosophical investigations paved the way for the rise of ordinary language philosophy, the movement that argues that philosophical problems disappear once language is disentangled. this is essential reading for anyone interested not only in the philosophy of language, but also in the development of philosophy in general.
6. nomination and necessity, by saul kripke
The name and necessity of Saul Kripke in 1980 has had a profound influence on philosophy in that it is perceived as supporting the analytic tradition launched by Frege in the early 20th century. In this masterful work, Kripke breaks down the idea that all philosophical truths follow the same logical framework, thus powerfully hinting that the analytic tradition of philosophy must take a breath and reconnect with the non-linguistic world in order to progress. this seminal book is studied by budding philosophers of language on campuses around the world, making it a “must” (sorry) for the shelf.
7. syntactic structures, by noam chomsky
while the books listed so far have been largely concerned with what gives language meaning, or at least the relationship between language and the world, noam chomsky’s relentlessly insightful 1957 syntactic structures They focus on the role of grammar in making language make sense. American philosopher John Searle writes that “Chomsky’s work is one of the most remarkable intellectual achievements of the current era, comparable in scope and coherence to the work of Keynes or Freud. it has done more than simply produce a revolution in linguistics; it has created a new discipline of generative grammar and is having a revolutionary effect on two other subjects, philosophy and psychology.” Pairing Chomsky’s work on grammar with work on the philosophy of language moves us toward a complete theory of the nature of language.
further reading
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