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PHIL31170

Academic Year 2024/2025

Philosophy of Language (PHIL31170)

Subject:
Philosophy
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Philosophy
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Elmar Unnsteinsson
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module is an examination of philosophical questions concerning thought, communication, and human language. What is the nature of meaning? How do words refer to things? What is the relationship between thought and language? Theories of meaning and communication will also be applied to other important topics, like the nature of hate speech, silencing, and lying or insincerity. Language and meaning became central topics in analytic philosophy in the early 20th century, making the philosophy of language crucial to understanding basic problems in metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind to this day. This course introduces students to key debates in contemporary philosophy of language, focusing on basic notions like meaning, reference, truth, speech acts, and non-literal or indirect speech (like metaphor, irony, and implicature).

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be familiar with key issues and debates in contemporary philosophy of language. They will have an understanding of the abstract issues relating to the intersection between language, mind and the world, of some more concrete questions of uses of language in extreme conditions of hate, prejudice and political coercion, and of how to employ methods in the philosophy of language to answer questions in other areas of philosophy.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

10
Specified Learning Activities

26
Autonomous Student Learning

140
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The teaching is lecture-based followed by discussions in tutorial groups.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
PHIL30070 - Philosophy of Language


 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation: Weekly Reading Response (starting in Week 2) Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No

20

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay Week 8 Graded Yes

40

 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay Week 12 Graded No

40

 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Written and oral feedback on essays and assignments provided by lecturer and tutors.

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