1st Edition

Logico-Linguistic Papers

By P.F. Strawson Copyright 2004
    210 Pages
    by Routledge

    210 Pages
    by Routledge

    P.F. Strawson has been a major and influential spokesman for ordinary language philosophy throughout the late twentieth century, studying the relationship between common language and the language of formal logic. This reissue of his collection of early essays, Logico-Linguistic Papers, is published with a brand new introduction by Professor Strawson but, apart from minor corrections to the text, these classic essays remain original and intact. Logico-Linguistic Papers contains Strawson's major essay, 'On Referring', in which he disputed Bertrand Russell's theory of definite descriptions, distinguishing between referring to an entity and asserting its existence. The book contains twelve essays in all, grouped by subject matter. The first five are concerned with the topic of singular reference and predication and the last three are all responses to J.L. Austin's treatment of the topic of truth. Strawson disputes the correspondence theory of truth, maintaining that facts are what statements (when true) state. The remaining papers deal with meaning, speech acts, logical truth and Chomsky's views on syntax.

    Contents: Preface; Introduction; On referring; Particular and general; Singular terms and predication; Identifying reference and truth-values; The asymmetry of subjects and predicates; Propositions, concepts and logical truths; Grammar and philosophy; Intention and convention in speech acts; Meaning and truth; Truth; A problem about truth; Truth: a reconsideration of Austin's views; Index.

    Biography

    P.F. Strawson is Waynflete Professor Emeritus of Metaphysical Philosophy at University College, Oxford, UK.

    'P.F. Strawson's stature in recent and contemporary philosophy is enormous.' A.C. Grayling, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK 'Strawson's work has played a significant role in getting us to where we are now.' Timothy Williamson, New College, University of Oxford, UK