Topics in Analytic Philosophy

Module Code: PI3006

Module Name: Topics Analytic in Philosophy

• ECTS Weighting: 10
• Semester/Term Taught: Hilary Term
• Contact Hours: 22 hours of lecture
• Module Personnel: Lecturer – Professor Peter Simons

Module Content

The focus of this course will be on problems about language, thought and the world, as framed and grappled with by philosophers working in the analytic tradition, including Bolzano, Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Carnap, Tarski, Quine, Davidson, Kripke and Lewis. Specifically we shall examine the theories of and interconnections between the notions of meaning, truth and modality.

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students will be able to:

• describe and critically evaluate the principal analytic theories of meaning, truth and modality;
• assess the contributions to modern philosophy of the major analytic philosophers discussed;
• articulate the distinguishing characteristics of analytic philosophy.