Context and Communication

Description

Context and Communication provides an introduction to a central theme in the study of language: the idea that what we say (or ask, or think) depends on the context of speech and thought. It explores key data, questions, concepts, and theories of context sensitivity, and is written to be accessible to those with no prior knowledge of the subject.

• Unlocks a vibrant area of research
• An invaluable resource for students of both philosophy and linguistics
• Introduces a complex topic in a clear and accessible way
• Assumes no prior knowledge—will be of interest to anyone who wants to understand contemporary philosophy of language
• Includes study questions and an extensive bibliography
• Each chapter includes featured observations, and closes with special sections on central points, questions, and further reading

About the Author(s)

Herman Cappelen, University of Oslo / University of St Andrews, and Josh Dever, University of Texas at Austin

Herman Cappelen is a professor of philosophy at the universities of Oslo and St Andrews. He is a Research Director at CSMN (in Oslo), and the Editor-in-Chief of Inquiry. He is the author of six books and many papers.

Josh Dever is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin and a professorial fellow at the Arche research centre at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of many papers in philosophy of language and logic, and the co-author with Herman Cappelen of The Inessential Indexical. He is also an associate editor of Semantics and Pragmatics.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Part I: Context Sensitivity: Variability vs. Stability
1:Contextual Variability
2:Stability Across Contexts
3:Some Strategies for Reconciling Stability and Variability
Part II: Theories of Context Sensitivity
4:What is a Theory of Meaning?
5:Character and Content
6:Indexed Truth Accounts: An Alternative to Kaplan
7:The Problem of Rigidity: Double-Indexing and Monsters
8:The Problem of Samesaying: Two Strategies
Part III: contexts: what they are and how we create them
9:What Are Contexts?
10:More on Contextual Ingredients
11:How speech creates contexts: negotiation and accommodation

Reviews

"Cappelen and Dever offer a clear, sustained treatment of one area in the contemporary philosophy of language, namely, the interrelation of linguistic meaning, truth, and the multiplicity of contexts in which language occurs ... the volume is a lively and accessible introductionand beyondto context and communication ... Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty." - D.B. Boersema , CHOICE