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Academic Year 2003/2004

Meaning, Reasoning, and Discursive Practices
PHIL 351 FA
Clusters:

Linguistics

This course will be devoted to a close study of Robert Brandom's MAKING IT EXPLICIT, one of the most important and exciting projects in recent philosophy. Brandom proposes a systematic reconception of standard philosophical conceptions of language, thought, reasoning, perception, and action. The most familiar conceptions start from the representational character of language and/or the mind and ask how mental or linguistic representations acquire definite meaning ("content"), and how they refer to objects. Brandom begins instead with the ways that linguistic expressions are used in social practices, according to norms implicit in those practices. He then tries to understand how the representational aspects of language and thought can then be understood in terms of practices and norms and how these norms can be made explicit. The course will not only enable us to understand and assess Brandom's own project but will also enable us to see how many of the central issues of contemporary philosophy are interconnected.

MAJOR READINGS

Robert Brandom, MAKING IT EXPLICIT
John Haugeland, "Truth and Rule-Following"
Joseph Rouse, "Perception, Action, and Discursive Practices"

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One shorter paper, one longer paper

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

THE FORMAL PREREQUISITE for this course is any one prior course in philosophy; ideally, students should have background in one or more of the following areas of philosophy: early modern philosophy (Descartes to Kant), philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, phenomenology, philosophy of science, or theories of knowledge. Students who are interested in the course, but have not taken courses in one of these areas are invited to consult with the instructor concerning whether they are adequately prepar ed for the course.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: HA PHIL    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: Any Philosophy Course Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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