What Is Meaning? (ebook)

Argumento de What Is Meaning? (ebook)

"Soames's excellent book will drive research on this important topic for some time to come."--Brian Ball, Canadian Journal of Philosophy

"This is an outstanding book, probably the best philosophy book I have read this year. . . . The book will not only be of great importance to professional philosophers and linguists but it will also be an accessible and invaluable asset to students."--Anthony Everett, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

"Scott Soames' new book, What Is Meaning?, is an important book, both in the issues it raises and in its shortcomings. It is the first serious discussion of meaning (not 'semantic content' or some other term designed to sidestep the real issue) by a leading analytic philosopher of language in a long while, and its findings lead to a more realistic understanding of meaning and language."--Sergeiy Sandler, European Legacy

"Derived from three lectures at Soochow University, Taipei, this book retains the relatively informal style that must have made those lectures both enjoyable and highly informative."--Choice

"This is a highly original book from a major figure in the philosophy of language. Scott Soames approaches classic problems about intentionality and the unity of the proposition in a new way. The writing and argumentation are admirably clear and straightforward, and there are careful historical discussions. This book makes an important contribution."--Robert Stalnaker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"In this short book, Scott Soames makes a major contribution to the general theory of meaning. Along the way he provides a beautiful, concise critical account of several previous attempts to formulate such a theory. What Is Meaning? will be required reading for serious researchers in philosophical and linguistic semantics. It will also serve as a brief introduction to the theory of meaning for students in both fields."--Gilbert Harman, Princeton University0Acknowledgments ix
Chapter 1: Meanings 1
Chapter 2: Frege and Russell: The Real Problem of "the Unity of the Proposition" 11
Chapter 3: Why Truth Conditions Are Not Enough 33
Chapter 4: Propositions and Attitudes: Davidson's Challenge and Russell's Neglected Insight 49
Chapter 5: Toward a Theory of Propositions: A Deflationary Account 69
Chapter 6: The Cognitive-Realist Theory of Propositions 99
Chapter 7: Expanding the Cognitive-Realist Model 109
Index 131