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Philosophy

General Philosophy of Language

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Contextualism In Epistemology And Relevance Theory, Mark Jary, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2016

Contextualism In Epistemology And Relevance Theory, Mark Jary, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

We briefly introduce Contextualism in Epistemology, highlight a linguistic challenge that it seemingly faces, and then describe a Relevance Theoretic response to that challenge. We end by contrasting this view with related ones.

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Full-On Stating, Robert J. Stainton Aug 2016

Full-On Stating, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

What distinguishes full-on stating a proposition from merely communicating it? For instance, what distinguishes claiming/asserting/saying that one has never smoked crack cocaine from merely implying/conveying/hinting this? The enormous literature on ‘assertion’ provides many approaches to distinguishing stating from, say, asking and commanding: only the former aims at truth; only the former expresses one’s belief; etc. But this leaves my question unanswered, since in merely communicating a proposition one also aims at truth, expresses a belief, etc.
My aim is not to criticize extant accounts of the state-vs.-merely-convey contrast, but rather to draw on clues from Dummett, functional linguistics and moral …

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A Deranged Argument Against Public Languages, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2015

A Deranged Argument Against Public Languages, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

My focus is Q: Are there really such things as public languages? I address an argument for a negative answer, extracted from Davidson’s “A Derangement of Epitaphs”. The argument appeals to an empirically attested phenomena, namely novelty and speech errors in successful conversational interactions, to show that knowledge of public language is neither necessary nor sufficient. Thus public languages have no explanatory role. Continues the idea, one should substitute in place of the convention-centric public language picture an alternative, with Prior and Passing theories. My first rebuttal is that there are senses in which knowledge of public language is necessary, …

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Introduction To The Semantics-Pragmatics Boundary In Philosophy, Maite Ezdurdia, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2011

Introduction To The Semantics-Pragmatics Boundary In Philosophy, Maite Ezdurdia, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

An introductory survey of the nature and importance of the semantics-pragmatics boundary.

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In Defense Of Public Languages, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2011

In Defense Of Public Languages, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

My modest aim in this note is to sketch three interrelated critiques of public languages, and to respond to them. All allegedly support the same conclusion: that, insofar as they even exist, the study of public languages is not a viable scientific project. (Related critiques of semantics, understood as involving word-world relations, will be touched on as well.)

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The Role Of Psychology In The Philosophy Of Language, Robert J. Stainton Jan 2011

The Role Of Psychology In The Philosophy Of Language, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

Are psychological facts relevant to philosophy of language; and, in particular, does scientific psychology have a legitimate role to play? For example, is it methodologically permissible for philosophers of language to rely upon evidence from neurological development, experiments about processing, brain scans, clinical case histories, longitudinal studies, questionnaires, etc.? If so, why? These two questions are the focus of this survey. I address them in two stages. Psychology may seem obviously relevant. I thus begin by introducing arguments against relevance, to motivate the discussion. I will urge that these ultimately fail, and that the appearance of relevance should be taken …

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Terminological Reflections Of An Enlightened Contextualist, Robert J. Stainton Feb 2010

Terminological Reflections Of An Enlightened Contextualist, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Philosophy Of Language, Robert J. Stainton Jan 2010

Philosophy Of Language, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Meaning And Reference: Some Chomskian Themes, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2005

Meaning And Reference: Some Chomskian Themes, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Quotation: Compositionality And Innocence Without Demonstration, Andrew Botterell, Robert J. Stainton Jul 2005

Quotation: Compositionality And Innocence Without Demonstration, Andrew Botterell, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

We discuss two kinds of quotation, namely indirect quotation (e.g., 'Anita said that Mexico is beautiful') and pure quotation (e.g., 'Mexico' has six letters). With respect to each, we have both a negative and a positive plaint. The negative plaint is that the strict Davidsonian (1968, 1979a) treatment of indirect and pure quotation cannot be correct. The positive plaint is an alternative account of how quotation of these two sorts works.

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Grice, Herbert Paul (1913-88), Robert J. Stainton Dec 2004

Grice, Herbert Paul (1913-88), Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Metaphysics, Substitution Salva Veritate And The Slingshot Argument, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2004

Metaphysics, Substitution Salva Veritate And The Slingshot Argument, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

An introduction to the "slingshot" argument in philosophy of language and metaphysics

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The Context Principle, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2004

The Context Principle, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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On 'The Denial Of Bivalence Is Absurd', F. J. Pelletier, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2002

On 'The Denial Of Bivalence Is Absurd', F. J. Pelletier, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

Timothy Williamson, in various places, has put forward an argument that is supposed to show that denying bivalence is absurd. This paper is an examination of the logical force of this argument, which is found wanting.

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Speaker Meaning And Davidson On Metaphor, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2002

Speaker Meaning And Davidson On Metaphor, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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"Obviously Propositions Are Nothing": Russell And The Logical Form Of Belief Reports, Lenny Clapp, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2001

"Obviously Propositions Are Nothing": Russell And The Logical Form Of Belief Reports, Lenny Clapp, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Holisme Et Homophonie, Madeleine Arseneault, Robert J. Stainton Dec 1999

Holisme Et Homophonie, Madeleine Arseneault, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Objects And Senses And Substitutions, Robert J. Stainton Dec 1999

Objects And Senses And Substitutions, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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Interrogatives And Sets Of Answers, Robert J. Stainton Mar 1999

Interrogatives And Sets Of Answers, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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The Syntax And Semantics Of Mixed Quotation, Robert J. Stainton Dec 1998

The Syntax And Semantics Of Mixed Quotation, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.

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