ENGLISH

Coming to our Senses: A Naturalistic Program for Semantic Localism

By Michael Devitt

Book information

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1995
ISBN
0521495431, 9780521495431
LCC
P325 .D47 1996
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
4 MB (4215938 bytes)
Series
Cambridge Studies in Philosophy
Pages
174\174
Orientation
no
Scanned
yes
Time added
2011-08-31 04:54:40

Description

Michael Devitt is a distinguished philosopher of language. In this new book he takes up issues in semantics. Three important questions lie at the core of this book: What are the main objectives of semantics? Why are they worthwhile? How should we accomplish them? Devitt answers these "methodological" questions naturalistically and explores what semantic program arises from the answers. The approach is anti-Cartesian, rejecting the idea that linguistic or conceptual competence yields any privileged access to meanings. Devitt argues for a truth-referential localism and in the process rejects direct-reference, two-factor, and verificationist theories. The book concludes by arguing against revisionism, eliminativism, and the idea that we should ascribe narrow meanings to explain behavior.

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