PhLing: The Philosophy & Linguistics Workgroup
The philosophy and linguistics working group is devoted to the discussion of contemporary issues that lie at the intersection of linguistics and philosophy. The group meets quarterly to discuss a pre-circulated paper or research developed by a member of the working group. The workgroup is open to both faculty and graduate students.
For more information or to be placed on our mailing list, contact Lee Goldsmith.
Fall 2009
Date: October 2, 2009
Title: Articles, Particles, Syntax
Author: Lee Goldsmith
Institution: Northwestern University
Time: 4:00 P.M.
Location: Kresge 2-345
Abstract: This paper contends that the definite article “the” and the indefinite article “a” do not contain any semantic content. They only serve a syntactic func- tion, as particles in other languages do, and any meaning associated with them is inferred pragmatically. This contention, which is called in the paper the “syntactic hypothesis,” is arrived at by observing an instability in the recent unified semantical accounts of the articles. These accounts jettison the uniqueness of the definite article and the non-uniqueness of the indefinite article into the pragmatics, yet retain the ex- istential quantifier purportedly contributed by both articles in the semantics. These accounts are unstable because they fail to apply rigorously their own principle for distinguishing between what is pragmatic and what is semantic. A rigorous applica- tion leads to jettisoning the existential quantifier as well. The syntactic hypothesis, however, renews an old Russellian worry about descriptions without referents. The paper concludes by alleviating this worry and even offers an explanation for the debate between Russellians and Strawsonians over the truth-value gap.
Date: October 23, 2009
Title: TBA
Author: Tim Sundell
Time: 4:00 P.M.
Location: Kresge 2-345
Institution: Northwestern University
