Meetings:
Web page: http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~rabern/2D.htm
Organizer: Brian Rabern
Email: rabern@umail.ucsb.edu
Phone: 541-285-5212
Introduction: The plan is to first get acquainted with two-dimensional semantics, i.e. figure out what exactly two-dimensional semantics is? This will proceed by a brief overview of the roots of two-dimensionalism then move on to the most current versions. In doing so, we will delineate various incarnations of 2D semantics, eventually arriving at the contemporary heir, Chalmers' epistemic version.
Once the background is set, will we move on to criticism of two-dimensional
semantics. The focus will be predominantly on semantics not so much on epistemology,
(i.e. not “modal rationalism”, “a priori entailment”,
or conceivability and possibility, etc.), and not on the two-dimensionalist
argument against physicalism. The primary areas of contention that we will survey
include reference-fixing, propositional attitude ascriptions, understanding,
linguistic and public meaning and the two-dimensional framework itself. This
will provide a reasonably exhaustive overview of the 2D literature.
"If I say 'Gold might turn out not to be an element', I speak correctly; 'might' here is epistemic and expresses the fact that the evidence does not justify a priori (Cartesian) certainty that gold is an element. I am also strictly correct when I say that the elementhood of gold was discovered a posteriori." - Kripke (N&N 143n72)
Readings: (tentative)
I. Roots of Two-Dimensionalism
Davies & Stoljar: 2004, "Introduction", to the Phil Studies issue
on 2D
Garcia-Carpintero & Macia: 2006, "Introduction", to Two-Dimensional
Semantics
• Kaplan's 2D:
Kaplan: 1989, “Demonstratives”
Chalmers: 2004, “Kaplan’s Character”
Soames: 2005, “Roots of Two-Dimensionalism” p.43-54
Chalmers Comments on Soames
• Kripke's 2D:
Kripke: 1980, Naming and Necessity, p.140-144
Chalmers: 2004, “Kripke's epistemic duplicates”
Soames: 2005, “Roots of Two-Dimensionalism” p.54-83
Chalmers Comments on Soames
• Evans', Davies and Humberstone's 2D:
Evans: 1979, “Reference and Contingency”
Davies and Humberstone: 1980, “Two-notions of necessity”
Soames: 2005, “The Early 2D Semantics of Davies and Humberstone”
Davies: 2004, “Reference, Contingency and the Two-Dimensional Framework”
Chalmers: 2005 "Evans: Deep necessity and superficial necessity"
II. Today’s Two-Dimensionalism
Nimtz: 2005, “Semantics (two-dimensional)”
• Frege and 2D:
Chalmers: 2002a "On Sense and Intension"
Garcia-Carpintero: 2006, "Two-Dimensionalism: A Neo-Fregean Interpretation"
• Descriptvism and 2D:
Jackson: 1998 “Reference and Description Revisited”
• Chalmersian 2D:
Chalmers: 2006, “Two-Dimensional Semantics”
Chalmers: 2004, “The Foundations of Two-Dimensional Semantics”
Chalmers: 2002b, “The Components of Content”
III. Objections to Two-Dimensionalism
• Ignorance and Error Revisited
Byrne & Pryor: 2004, “Bad Intensions”
Schiffer: 2003, The Things We Mean, chp. 3.
Chalmers’ responses
• Publicity and Understanding
Schroeter: 2003, “Gruesome Diagonals”
Bealer: 2002, “Modal Epistemology and the Rationalist Renaissance”
Chalmers’ responses
• Attitude Ascriptions and Content
Byrne: 2001, “Chalmers on Epistemic Content”
Schiffer: manuscript, “Mental Content and Epistemic Two-Dimensional Semantics”
Soames: forthcoming, “Ambitious Two-Dimensionalism”
Chalmers: forthcoming, “Propositions and attitude ascriptions: A Fregean
account ”
• Soames-Chalmers APA Exchange
(Aprioricity and Actually)
Chalmers: manuscript, “Soames' Two-Dimensionalism”.
Soames: manuscript, “Reply to critics”
Chalmers: manuscript, “Response to reply”
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
Two-Dimensional Semantics, Garcia-Carpinterno & Macia, eds. (2006).
The Two-Dimensional Framework and Its Applications: Metaphysics, Language,
and Mind (online),
phil studies (2004).
Reference and Description: The Case Against Two-Dimensionlaism, Soames
(2005).
RELEVANT LINKS:
Chalmers
-- papers on meaning and modality
-- online discussion
-- weblog
(2D thread)
Bealer, Nimtz,
Soames, Byrne,
Schroeter,
Schiffer, Yablo,
Wong, Boghossian,
Stalnaker, Stoljar
additional readings:
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• Additional
Articles
Wong: 2006, "Two-Dimensionalism and Kripkean A Posteriori Necessity"
Pelczar: 2004, “Ptolemaic Intensions”
Nimtz & Beckermann: manuscript, “Why ‘Water’ is not an
Indexical”.
Nimtz: 2004, “Two-Dimensionalism and Natural Kind Terms”
• Stalnaker's 2D:
Stalnaker: 1978, “Assertion”
Chalmers: 2004, “Stalnaker’s Diagonal”
Soames: 2005, “Stalnaker’s Two-Dimensionalist Model of Discourse”
p.84-105
Chalmers Comments on Soames