Philosophy of Language

Philosophy of Language provides a comprehensive, meticulous survey of twentieth-century and contemporary philosophical theories of meaning. Interweaving the historical development of the subject with a thematic overview of the different approaches to meaning, the book provides students with the tools necessary to understand contemporary analytic philosophy. Beginning with a systematic look at Frege’s foundational theories on sense and reference, Alexander Miller goes on to offer a clear exposition of the development of subsequent arguments in the philosophy of language. Communicating a sense of active philosophical debate, the author confronts the views of the early theorists, taking in Frege, Russell, and logical positivism and going on to discuss the scepticism of Quine, Kripke, and Wittgenstein. The work of philosophers such as Davidson, Dummett, Searle, Fodor, McGinn, Wright, Grice, and Tarski is also examined in depth.

The third edition has been fully revised for enhanced clarity and includes:

• a short introduction for students, outlining the importance of the philosophy of language and the aims of the book;
• two substantial new sections on Philip Pettit’s "ethocentric" account of rule-following and on Hannah Ginsborg’s "partial reductionism" about rule-following and meaning;
• the addition of chapter summaries and study questions throughout, designed to promote greater understanding and engagement;
• updated guides to further reading at the end of every chapter.

This well-established and sophisticated introduction to the philosophy of language is an unrivalled guide to one of the liveliest and most challenging areas of philosophy and is suitable for use on undergraduate degrees and in postgraduate study.