Gottlob Frege `On Sense and Reference' (1892)
Bertrand Russell The Philosophy of Logical Atomism (1916)
A. J. Ayer Language, Truth and Logic (1936, 2nd ed. 1946)
Ludwig Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations (1953)
W. V. Quine From a Logical Point of View (1953)
W. V. Quine Ontological Relativity and Other Essays (1969)
P. F. Strawson `On Referring' (1950), `Intention and Convention in Speech Acts' (1964), `Meaning and Truth' (1969)

Schedule of readings and exams:

Aug 20 Introduction
Aug 25 Frege `On Sense and Reference' [4 meetings]
Sep 8 Russell The Philosophy of Logical Atomism [6 meetings]
Sep 29 Ayer Language, Truth and Logic [5 meetings]
Note: First exam due at start of class.
Oct 15 Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations I 1-362 [6]
Nov 5 Quine `On What There Is' (1948), `Two Dogmas of Empiricism' (1951), `Speaking of Objects' (1958), `Epistemology Naturalized' (1969) [5 meetings]
Note: Second exam due at start of class.
Nov 24 Strawson `On Referring', `Intention and Convention in Speech Acts', `Meaning and Truth' [4 meetings]
Note: Dec 8 is last day of class.

Dec 16 Third exam due by 5:00 pm, in Philosophy Department

Course requirements:

Regular attendance, careful preparation of readings prior to their discussion in class, and appropriate participation in discussion - in short, philosophically active participation in the course - are essential. Students not prepared to meet these basic requirements would do well to disenroll from Phil 388. In any event, attendance, preparation, and appropriate participation will determine 10% of the course grade.

There will be three `take home' essay examinations, due on the dates indicated. Questions for the exams (with some provision for choice) will be provided in the next-to-last class prior to the due date for the exam in question. Each exam will cover the materials discussed in the just-completed third of the course. Each exam will contribute 30% of the course grade. Each exam will be graded on a scale 0-100.

Except in quite exceptional circumstances late papers will not be accepted (and so a grade of zero points will be assigned) unless approval has been granted prior to the scheduled due date (and time). Such prior approval will be granted only for quite compelling reason. Late papers, if accepted at all, will be subject to reduction in grade.

Students who are unable to complete the work for the course in timely fashion must themselves take responsibility for formally dropping the course or for requesting assignment of the grade of `I' (Incomplete). A course grade of `I' will be assigned only in quite exceptional circumstances (and only by prior arrangement). A student's failure to withdraw from the course, or to successfully request assignment of an `I', will - when the course requirements are not met in timely fashion - result in a grade of `F'.

Students should be familiar with the University policy on academic misconduct (cheating, plagiarism, disruption of class, etc.), as set out in University Senate Rules and Regluations, p.9, sections 5,6,7. Academic misconduct on an examination will be penalized with a grade of zero points for the exam in question.

Students with disabilities that might affect their performance in this course are encouraged to discuss the matter with the instructor at the earliest opportunity.

Office hours (3050 Wescoe): Tuesdays, 2:00-3:30; Wednesdays, 2:00-3:30; Thursdays, 3:30-5:00, or by appointment. I can be reached by phone at 864-3976 (Philosophy Dept) or 842-1921 (home); or by e-mail at: jbricke@falcon.cc.ukans.edu

 
Notes:

1. Copies of Frege's `On Sense and Reference' can be obtained, at modest cost, in the Philosophy Department office (3052 Wescoe). Copies of Strawson's three papers will be similarly available later in the semester.

2. A list of articles and books in the Reserved Books section of Watson Library will be available shortly, as also a shortlist of the topics to be emphasized in each section of the course. Other ancillary materials will be made available as needed.