The original essays in this volume present cutting-edge research on unstructured theories of propositional content. Unstructured theories have traditionally played a central role in linguistics, especially formal semantics, and both the philosophy of language and philosophy of mind. The volume explores a wide range of themes related to unstructured content such as the continued controversy over whether unstructured theories individuate contents too coarsely compared to other theories of propositional content, and applications of unstructured theories to various topics. Topics to which unstructured theories are applied include rationality, epistemic commitment, semantic expressivism, relevance, and attitude ascriptions. Theories of unstructured content discussed include traditional theories according to which propositions are sets of worlds, as well as contemporary theories such as truthmaker semantics. The volume contains contributions from different theoretical perspectives, including perspectives sympathetic to unstructured theories of content and perspectives that are skeptical, as well as perspectives from different methodological backgrounds, with philosophy, logic, and linguistics all represented. With contributions from leading scholars in philosophy and linguistics, this volume will be required reading for anyone working on the nature of propositional content. It will also be of interest to those working on related issues in logic, metaphysics, and the philosophy of mind.

About the Author
Peter van Elswyk is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University. His research interests in the philosophy of language include formal pragmatics and speech act theory, evidentiality, and propositional anaphora. Dirk Kindermann is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Universitat Wien. His research interests in the philosophy of language include de se communication, relativism, contextualism, and knowledge ascriptions. Cameron Domenico Kirk-Giannini is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University-Newark. His research interests in the philosophy of language include formal pragmatics and speech act theory, pejoratives, and quotation. Andy Egan is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University. His research interests in the philosophy of language include epistemic modals, relativism, contextualism, and formal pragmatics.


Book Information
ISBN 9780198823551
Author Peter van Elswyk
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press