- Current section: Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Introducing representation
- 2 Is the speaker's mind the source of an utterance's meaning?
- 2.1 Introduction
- 2.2 The source of an utterance's meaning: the words used or the speaker's mind?
- 2.3 Grice on natural and non-natural meaning
- 2.4 The meaning of expressions versus the meaning of individual utterances
- 2.5 Why intentions?
- 2.6 Which intentions?
- 2.7 Expression meaning as defined by Grice
- 2.8 The Gricean Programme
- 2.9 How successful is Grice's theory of the meaning of utterances?
- 2.10 Section summary
- 2.11 Further reading
- References
- Acknowledgements
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Language and thought: Introducing representation
How does what you say come to mean something? Does what you...
How does what you say come to mean something? Does what you say inherently represent what you, the speaker, think it means, whatever that might be, or does what you say carry its own meaning, separate from your intentions in saying it? This unit introduces you to the key questions about how meaning is conveyed in language.
By the end of this unit you should:
- be able to discuss basic philosophical questions concerning language and thought;
- have enhanced your ability to understand problems concerning language and thought and to discuss them in a philosophical way.
- Duration: 20 hours
- Published on: Thursday 23rd June 2011
- Level: Advanced
- Posted under: Philosophy
Contents
Language and thought: Introducing representation
Introduction

This unit introduces key questions about language and thought, such as how can language, which is public and accessible, be used to convey thoughts, which seem hidden from view.
This unit is an adapted extract from the Open University course Thought and experience: themes in the philosophy of mind (AA308). [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
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