philosophy bites

Michael Devitt on Experimental Semantics

What does the name 'Kurt Gödel' refer to? Most people think it refers to the person who came up with the incompleteness theorem. But does it matter what most people think? Are our intuitions consistent, or even relevant here? Michael Devitt in conversation with Nigel Warburton explores this question of the role of intuitions in assessing reference.

This episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast was made at the University of York.

Listen to Michael Devitt on Experimental Semantics

Details of a conference on Experimental Semantics, University of Warsaw, 22nd - 23rd April 2016

If you enjoy Philosophy Bites, please consider supporting us via Patreon or using the PayPal buttons on this weblog.

Emma Borg on Language and Context

What part does context play in determining the meaning of a sentence? Is there any room for literal meaning? Emma Borg discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. 

Listen to Emma Borg on Language and Context

Rom Harré on the Linguistic Turn in Philosophy

In the early part of the Twentieth Century Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, and Ludwig Wittgenstein transformed philosophy: they emphasized the logical form of language. Ludwig Wittgenstein later repudiated his earlier philosophy, concentrating on how people actually use language, the things they do do with words. Together with J.L. Austin, Gilbert Ryle and others, he initiated what has come to be known as the Linguistic Turn in philosophy. For this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, Rom Harré, whose PhD supervisor was Austin, discusses the Linguistic Turn with Nigel Warburton.

Listen to Rom Harré on the Linguistic Turn in Philosophy

Listen to an earlier Social Science Bites podcast interview with Rom Harré on the Nature of Social Science

Tim Crane on Non-Existence

How can we make sense of things that don't exist? What can we say about them? Tim Crane explores these questions in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to Tim Crane on Non-Existence

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

Guy Longworth on J.L. Austin and Ordinary Language

J.L. Austin believed that we could make philosopical progress through precise scrutiny of ordinary language: the words we use, the contexts in which we utter them, and what actions we perform in the process. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, Guy Longworth discusses Austin's approach to philosophy.

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

Listen to Guy Longworth on J.L. Austin and Ordinary Language

Barry Smith on Wittgenstein's Conception of Philosophy

Ludwig Wittgenstein was one of the great thinkers of the 20th Century. Part of his originality lay in his view of what Philosophy was and how it ought to be done. For this episode of Philosophy Bites Barry Smith of Birkbeck College London gives a lucid account of Wittgenstein's conception of Philosophy.

Listen to Barry Smith on Wittgenstein's Conception of Philosophy

[You can also listen to an episode of BBC Radio 4's In Our Time on Wittgenstein to which Barry Smith contributed here. This programme was originally broadcast on 4th Dec. 2003.]

David Edmonds, who introduces this podcast, is co-author of the book Wittgenstein's Poker.

Timothy Williamson on Vagueness

How many grains of sand make a heap?  This is the classic Sorites Paradox. In this episode of Philosophy Bites Timothy Williamson, author of an important book on the topic, explains what vagueness is and why it matters.

Listen to Timothy Williamson on Vagueness