Philosophy of Language

Issues regarding the nature of language have played a central concern within the analytic tradition and have been closely linked to other areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and the practice of philosophical analysis.

International Flags

Does our use of language commit us to views regarding the nature of reality? Does the study of how we understand and acquire language help clarify the nature of thought and of how we relate to the world?

Have confusions regarding the nature of language contributed to confusions within philosophy? How is logic—and more generally the practice of philosophical analysis—related to ordinary language?

People in the Department of Philosophy who work in this area include:

Academics

James Levine

Richard Teague

Julian Bacharach

Michael Markunas