|
 Building
a home philosophy library
Lyn
May and Steve Deery
The
twenty-second in a series of articles advising on how to build your
own home philosophy library.
No.
22 Simon Blackburn, Spreading the Word
Though
often observed to induce fear and loathing in the faint-hearted,
the philosophy of language asks some very important questions. What
is it for us to us to invest words and sentences with meanings?
What is the relationship between words and the things to which they
refer, or facts they describe?
Although
aimed primarily at newcomers, Simon Blackburn's Spreading The
Word differs from other introductory texts. Blackburn's aim
is to show the reader how the philosophy of language is done, rather
than give an overview of the subject. This subject area, perhaps
more than any other, can easily become obscured by technicalities
and complex detail. Acutely aware of this problem Blackburn tries
to do justice to the issues whilst remaining accessible to the novice.
Pivotal
to our philosophical understanding of language is its relationship
to speakers and the world. Blackburn sees this as a triadic relationship.
Where we choose to focus our attentions often depends on our prior
views on meaning, psychology or metaphysics. What we believe in
one area can influence what constitutes a satisfactory theory in
another. Blackburn manages to keep a grip on all these issues and
give the reader a sense of the tensions inherent in the triad.
Divided
into two parts, this book examines first how our words have meaning.
Blackburn argues there are two possible approaches to this problem.
Either we attribute meaning via some other medium such as ideas,
or look instead at what is involved in meaning one thing rather
than another. Although Blackburn takes his own line on these issues
he makes it clear where further work is needed.
The
second part looks at the relationship between language and the world.
Perhaps the central question in this area is the nature of
truth - how our language says something true about the world. Blackburn
surveys most of the major issues including moral truth.
Spreading
the Word by Simon Blackburn (Oxford University Press) £17.99/$23.95
A
new book will be featured early October 2002.
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