Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis The subject will provide an introduction to some major themes in the recent philosophy of language and mind. Among the topics to be covered will be theories of reference and truth, the theory of meaning and the theory of performative utterances. These topics have come to be of central concern in contemporary analytical philosophy and are often crucial in modern debates in fields as diverse as ethics, philosophy of mind and metaphysics. The aim of this subject is to provide essential background for students intending to go on in philosophy.
Assessment Two essays (3000 words each): 50% each + Optional replacement of one essay by a 3-hour examination