PY5208 Advanced Philosophy of Language

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed.

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr P M Greenough

Dr P M Greenough
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Patrick Greenough Prof Crispin Wright

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will be concerned with cutting-edge debates in philosophy of language. Topics covered may include: How do words relate to the world? What is meaning? What is reference? How do words acquire, retain, and lose their meanings? What is successful communication? What is involved in grasp of meaning (understanding)? What role does context play in communication? What are indexicals and how do they function? Is all of language context-sensitive? Is all of language vague? What is vagueness? What is implicature and how do we make sense of it? What do slurs mean? We will use the tools of philosophy of language—semantics, pragmatics, and speech act theory—to try to answer these (and related) questions.

Assessment pattern

Single essay of 4000 words.

Re-assessment

Single essay of 4000 words.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

One 2-hour seminar (X11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

176

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Develop skills in paraphrasing, clarifying, taking accurate notes, and assimilating key terms related to the philosophy of language.
  • Independently recognise the value of a particular position in the philosophy of language and respond by initiating new lines of research.
  • Identify consequences and presuppositions of a particular principle or view in the philosophy of language.
  • Study advanced philosophy of language at the level appropriate to a research degree.