[SydPhil] History and Philosophy of Linguistics Reading Group

[Simon Varey]

Next meeting:

Tuesday, 30 September, 5.00-6.30pm, Woolley S361

Reading:

Carnap, Rudolf (1947) "The Method of Intension" in *Meaning and Necessity*

Abstract:

"Carnap attempts to develop a new method for analyzing the meanings of
linguistic expressions as well as to lay a semantic foundation for modal
logic. Carnap maintains that his new method consists in doing away with the
traditional assumption that linguistic expressions name concrete or
abstract entities and in replacing it with the ascription to them of
intensions and extensions. He states that linguistic expressions designate
their intensions and extensions: every designation refers to both an
intension and an extension.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_and_Necessity#cite_note-2>

The intensional entities to which individual constants or descriptions,
predicates, and declarative sentences are respectively said to refer are
individual concepts, properties and propositions, the corresponding
extensions being individuals, classes and truth-values. Carnap insists that
intensions, including individual concepts, are objectively real, not mental
concepts. However, he rejects the charge of hypostatization: individual
concepts and properties and propositions must not be considered as things,
but this does not prevent them from being genuine objective entities."
(Wikipedia)

Reading available from:

http://hplinguistics.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/86107723/Carnap%20Meaning%20and%20Necessity.pdf

Enquiries: james.mcelvenny at gmail.com

All welcome!
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