Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Language (Routledge Philosophy Companions)

Philosophy of language is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of meaning, the relationship of language to reality, and the ways in which we use, learn, and understand language. The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Language provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the field, charting its key ideas and movements, and addressing contemporary research and enduring questions in the philosophy of language. Unique to this Companion is clear coverage of research from the related disciplines of formal logic and linguistics, and discussion of the applications in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and philosophy of mind. Organized thematically, the Companion is divided into seven sections: Core Topics; Foundations of Semantics; Parts of Speech; Methodology; Logic for Philosophers of Language; Philosophy of Language for the Rest of Philosophy; and Historical Perspectives. Comprised of 70 never-before-published essays from leading scholars--including Sally Haslanger, Jeffrey King, Sally McConnell-Ginet, Rae Langton, Kit Fine, John MacFarlane, Jeff Pelletier, Scott Soames, Jason Stanley, Stephen Stich and Zoltan Gendler Szabo--the Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Language promises to be the most comprehensive and authoritative resource for students and scholars alike. Review "Unusual in its scope and ambition, this Companion offers superbly clear and insightful essays by a judicious mix of eminent figures and up-and-coming scholars.  In addition to the standard topics, it is particularly good to have state-of-the-art pieces on the relations between philosophy of language and the other main sub-fields of philosophy.  An indispensable resource." –Paul Boghossian, New York University "The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Language has all the virtues of a state-of-the-art collection: lucid articles on cutting-edge topics by leaders in the field, meticulous organization, beyond comprehensive.  This book is, and will be for years to come, indispensable." –Robin Jeshion, University of Southern California "Delia Graff Fara and Gillian Russell’s selection of authors and topics is authoritative, imaginative, and cutting-edge. Both students and specialists will learn much from this volume. The essays are well-designed, substantial launch pads for further exploration." –Timothy Williamson, University of Oxford "This is a stunningly wide-ranging collection packed with first-rate authors.  I cannot think of anything else that comes near it both for breadth of coverage and for quality." –Jennifer Saul, The University of Sheffield "[This book]excels at being a genuine companion resource, introducing readers not only to the background and core questions that define the philosophy of language, but also to the primary methodologies through which prominent contemporary perspectives on the philosophy of language have, and continue to be, developed. Though the essays in this volume are intended to introduce readers to an area of concern within the study of language, they offer a critical review of it rather than merely mapping the terrain. Thus the book constitutes an invaluable current resource for students and scholars alike. It will appeal to anyone interested in the current state-of-play within this important area of philosophical research. Summing Up: Highly recommended." -A.L. Morton, Saint Xavier University, in Choice About the Author Gillian Russell is Associate Professor in Philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis. Delia Graff Fara is Associate Professor in Philosophy at Princeton University.