"The best blend of technical competence, philosophical sophistication and topical coverage currently available in an introduction to the philosophy of language."
Robert M. Harnish, University of Arizona
"This is a first–rate introduction to the topics and philosophers it covers, from Frege through theories of truth to intentional semantics, the metaphysics of modality, translation, language in action, speech acts, and more. The book is well–written, clear, accessible, and thorough. Many students will be stimulated to explore the issues further, and will have a solid base from which to do so." John F. Post, Vanderbilt University
1. Fregean Beginnings.
2. Definite Descriptions and Other Objects of Wonder.
3. Truth and Meaning: the Tarskian Paradigm.
4. Foundations of Intentional Semantics.
5. Language and Context.
6. Language in Action.
Kenneth Taylor is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University. He is the author of numerous articles on the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of language.
This lucid and wide–ranging volume constitutes a self–contained introduction to the elements and key issues of the philosophy of language. In particular, it focuses on the philosophical foundations of semantics, including the main challenges to and prospects for a truth conditional semantics.
Since the book is neither single–mindedly philosophical, nor single–mindedly technical, it is an accessible introduction to the philosophical foundations of semantics, and will provide the ideal basis for a first course in the philosophy of language and philosophical logic.
