PHIL 415 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: The Formalist, Pragmatics, Behaviorism
12 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Semantic = word-world relations
Pragmatics = a study of how language is used rather than a language by itself
The general claim in pragmatics is that this is the only way to have an adequate account
of language
Words by themselves are just symbols connected with each other in accordance to certain
words but they can only be in the world if they are being used
Strawson claims that there can be no semantics without pragmatics
We’re talking about language but also within the philosophy of mathematics
The two are tightly connected
Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein is talking about math as the same time
The extreme form of formalism that Frege was critiquing, he’s saying that math isn’t
about anything – it’s just symbols and rules for doing stuff with those symbols, it is pure
form
There’s life in the signs
What makes language come to life is that we give it uses
Because there is pragmatics, there is semantics
The formalist would have it as just arrangements of signs in a certain medium
Pragmatics tells us that we cannot talk about meaning while neglecting the agents
(agir/the one who does) who use signs and language – signs are not signs unless signs are
using them to signify
It is by virtue of our practices or use
J. Austin
The terms never catch on but the distinctions he makes are the basis of pragmatics
He talks about the difference between constative and performative use of language
Constative use of language = conveying of informative
Performative = we do something with language
Illocutionary acts = things that you say but you’re not doing anything with it
They make something happen but the path isn’t direct
They bring about state of affairs through the conventional and mutual recognition through
the use of language
We create a social reality
To say certain words, in certain circumstances…
EX: To promise
My words are part of a practice
Perlocutionary acts = causing something to happen by means of language
EX: You have used words to bring about something in the world
They make something happen
They cause something to happen
Aka: Speech acts
Locutionary acts =
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Pragmatics = a study of how language is used rather than a language by itself. The general claim in pragmatics is that this is the only way to have an adequate account of language. Words by themselves are just symbols connected with each other in accordance to certain words but they can only be in the world if they are being used. Strawson claims that there can be no semantics without pragmatics. We"re talking about language but also within the philosophy of mathematics. Frege, russell, wittgenstein is talking about math as the same time. The extreme form of formalism that frege was critiquing, he"s saying that math isn"t about anything it"s just symbols and rules for doing stuff with those symbols, it is pure form. What makes language come to life is that we give it uses. The formalist would have it as just arrangements of signs in a certain medium.
