Renewing Meaning: A Speech-Act Theoretic Approach

✍ Scribed by Stephen J. Barker

• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 338
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Stephen Barker sets out and defends a radically new semantic theory, and shows how it solves notable problems in the philosophy of language. According to the theory, linguistic meaning should be understood in terms of speech acts, and the fundamental bearer of truth is not a proposition but an assertion. Barker sets this theory in a broader philosophical framework, including a simple, common-sense ontology and an account of pre-linguistic mental representation. This is an ambitious, rich, and original view of language and its world.

✦ Table of Contents

0199263663......Page 1
Contents......Page 10
Concepts and Symbolism......Page 13
0.0 Preliminaries: The Frege Model......Page 14
0.1 Between Designation and Speech Acts......Page 17
0.2 Truth and the Varieties of Assertion......Page 21
0.3 Semantics as a Friend of Grammar......Page 30
0.4 Intention as a Foundation for Semantics......Page 32
0.5 Outline of the Book......Page 34
PART I. MAKING SEMANTICS PRAGMATIC......Page 38
1.1 The Semantic Conception of Truth (SCT)......Page 40
1.2 Anomalies for SCT......Page 42
1.3 The Pragmatic Conception of Truth (PCT)......Page 52
1.4 Proto-Assertions and Repertoire Rules......Page 58
1.5 Modes of Interpretation......Page 64
1.6 Permissibility and Supposition......Page 71
2.0 Introduction......Page 76
2.1 Logically Simple Sentences: Semantics Meets Metaphysics......Page 78
2.2 Sentences as Signs for Complexes......Page 86
2.3 Adverbial Modification and Higher-Order Complexes......Page 88
3.0 Introduction: The Roles Propositions Play......Page 93
3.1 Farewell to the Sense/Force Distinction......Page 94
3.2 Proto-Act Embedding......Page 98
3.3 Negation as an Adverb......Page 102
3.4 Indicative Conditionals as Implicatives......Page 105
3.5 Truth-Bearers and an Expressive Theory of Truth......Page 112
PART II. BEYOND QUANTIFICATION......Page 120
4.0 Introduction: Grammar and Proto-Referring Acts......Page 122
4.1 Repertoire Rules and Denotative Techniques......Page 123
4.2 Proper Names and Referential Trees......Page 129
4.3 Proper Names as Anaphors......Page 131
4.4 Names Used Without Belief......Page 135
4.5 Public Proper Names: Types Defined by Trees......Page 138
4.6 General Terms and Semantic Interpretations......Page 145
5.0 Introduction: Descriptive Noun Phrases as α- and β-Terms......Page 147
5.1 Indefinite and Definite Descriptions: α-F and α[sup(D)]-F......Page 154
5.2 Functioning Indefinitely......Page 158
5.3 Uniqueness Implications and Truth-Value Gaps......Page 161
5.4 Referential and Attributive Uses......Page 165
5.5 Every: α[sup(U)]-F......Page 168
5.6 Generics and Adverbs of Generality......Page 171
6.0 Introduction: Plurals as β-Terms......Page 175
6.1 Definite and Indefinite Plurals......Page 177
6.2 Collective, Distributed, and Cumulative Readings......Page 178
6.3 Quantitatives and Universal Plurals......Page 185
6.4 Pronouns......Page 188
6.5 Grammatical and Logical Form......Page 196
PART III. THE EMERGENCE OF SEMANTICS......Page 198
7.0 Introduction: Fear of Reproduction......Page 200
7.1 The Natural-Representation System: Basic Features......Page 205
7.2 Tracking and de re Logical Complexity......Page 209
7.3 From Representational Intentions to Proto-Acts......Page 211
7.4 Communicative Intentions and Commitment......Page 216
8.0 Introduction......Page 219
8.1 Logical Constants and Cognitive States......Page 220
8.2 Validity, Entailment, and Expressivist Reduction......Page 228
8.3 Causation, Cognition, and Semantics......Page 233
PART IV. GRAMMAR IN MOTION AND THE ENTANGLEMENTS OF DISCOURSE......Page 236
9.0 Introduction: Explaining Scope Relations......Page 238
9.1 Predicates and Predicate-Application......Page 239
9.2 Scope and Universal Noun Phrases......Page 244
9.3 Scope and Indefinite Descriptions......Page 250
9.4 Explaining Any......Page 257
9.5 Adverbs of Generality and Indefinite Descriptions......Page 261
10.0 Introduction: Donkeys......Page 265
10.1 D-type Pronouns......Page 268
10.2 Implicit Situation Quantifiers......Page 273
10.3 Discourse Representation Theory......Page 277
11.0 Introduction: A Solution......Page 294
11.1 Relatively Simple Donkey Anaphors......Page 295
11.2 Mimicking Variable-Binding......Page 298
11.3 Anaphors Unbound......Page 301
11.4 Relative Pronouns and Donkey Anaphora......Page 304
11.5 If-sentences......Page 307
11.6 Adverbial If-generalities......Page 312
11.7 Loosening Double Binds......Page 318
References......Page 323
B......Page 330
D......Page 331
E......Page 332
I......Page 333
M......Page 334
P......Page 335
R......Page 336
T......Page 337
W......Page 338