
Donald Davidson's Truth-Theoretic Semantics
Oxford University Press
Published on 8. January 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
362 pages
978-0-19-956168-1 (ISBN)
Description
Ernest Lepore and Kirk Ludwig examine the foundations and applications of Davidson's influential program of truth-theoretic semantics for natural languages. The program uses an axiomatic truth theory for a language, which meets certain constraints, to serve the goals of a compositional meaning theory.
Lepore and Ludwig explain and clarify the motivations for the approach, and then consider how to apply the framework to a range of important natural language constructions, including quantifiers, proper names, indexicals, simple and complex demonstratives, quotation, adjectives and adverbs, the simple and perfect tenses, temporal adverbials and temporal quantifiers, tense in sentential complement clauses, attitude and indirect discourse reports, and the problem of interrogative and imperative sentences. They not only discuss Davidson's own contributions to these subjects but consider criticisms, developments, and alternatives as well. They conclude with a discussion of logical form in natural language in light of the approach, the role of the concept of truth in the program, and Davidson's view of it. Anyone working on meaning will find this book invaluable.
Lepore and Ludwig explain and clarify the motivations for the approach, and then consider how to apply the framework to a range of important natural language constructions, including quantifiers, proper names, indexicals, simple and complex demonstratives, quotation, adjectives and adverbs, the simple and perfect tenses, temporal adverbials and temporal quantifiers, tense in sentential complement clauses, attitude and indirect discourse reports, and the problem of interrogative and imperative sentences. They not only discuss Davidson's own contributions to these subjects but consider criticisms, developments, and alternatives as well. They conclude with a discussion of logical form in natural language in light of the approach, the role of the concept of truth in the program, and Davidson's view of it. Anyone working on meaning will find this book invaluable.
Reviews / Votes
Review from previous edition An outstanding book on Davidson's achievement in philosophical semantics...a model of excellent scholarship both for students and scholars. * Journal of Pragmatics *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
550 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-956168-1 (9780199561681)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Ernest LePore | Kirk Ludwig
Donald Davidson's Truth-Theoretic Semantics
Book
01/2007
Oxford University Press
€140.50
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Persons
Ernest Lepore is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and Associate Director of the Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science.
Kirk Ludwig is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Florida.
Kirk Ludwig is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Florida.
Content
Introduction ; 1. Truth-theoretic semantics: basic framework ; 2. Quantifiers ; 3. Implementation of the extension of the truth theory to quantifiers ; 4. Proper names, indexicals and simple demonstratives ; 5. Complex demonstratives ; 6. The semantics of quotation ; 7. Adjectives and adverbs ; 8. The simple tenses of state and event verbs ; 9. Temporal adverbials and quantifiers ; 10. Tense in sentential complements and the perfect tenses ; 11. Opaque contexts: indirect discourse and attitude sentences ; 12. Non-declarative sentences ; 13. Semantic structure and logical form ; 14. Truth and correspondence