Proseminar II (402-1-20)

Topic

20th Century Philosophy of Language: Wittgenstein,

Instructors

Peter van Elswyk

Meeting Info

Kresge 3438 Philosophy Sem. Rm: Wed 11:00AM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course aims to uncover common throughlines in 20th century philosophy of language in both the Anglo-American and Continental philosophical traditions. We will read Wittgenstein, Austin, Gadamer, and Habermas to see what animates their thinking, and to put their ideas into conversation with each other. Special attention will be paid to understanding their views on the social nature of linguistic interpretation, and communicative action. This seminar will be oriented around entire books by the respective authors, and students will be assessed both on their written work and their detailed notes of the texts.

Class Materials (Required)

Class materials must be purchased.

Gadamer, Truth and Method, Bloomsbury 2013, 9781780936246
Habermas, Theory of Communicative Action Vol. 1, Beacon Press 1985, 9780807015070
Austin, How To Do Things With Words: Second Edition, Harvard Press 1975, 9780674411524
Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations: Fourth Edition, Wiley-Blackwell 2009, 1405159286

Class Materials (Suggested)

Lafont, The Linguistic Turn in Hermeneutic Philosophy, MIT Press 2002, 026262169X