https://at-ceu.studyguide.timeedit.net/modules/PHIL5120?type=COREThe course will be structured around the notion of a proposition, which is the most central notion in the philosophy of language and also the one that has had the most influence on the discussion of other philosophical issues. We will discuss what propositions are and the semantics of their constituents such as proper names, definite description like "The King of France", as well as indexical expressions such als "I", "here" and "now". We will also study the relation of propositions to speech acts like asserting, directing and asking a question, as well as other topics usually discussed under the heading of pragmatics such as Grice's principles of cooperation in conversation and the status of fictional discourse. We will conclude the semester by discussing recent attempts to integrate proposition-centric and act-centric accounts of language by proposing that propositions themselves are acts and critizicing the traditional dichotomy of forceful acts such as assertions and directions and their propositional contents.