Philosophy of Communication - 1st semester
Code
711011017
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Ciências da Comunicação
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Marcin Lewinski
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
To discuss and understand the main philosophical issues regarding communication.
To situate the philosophical discussions in the context of contemporary debates about communication.
To offer the students the necessary conceptual tools for a critical analysis of communication.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Subject matter
1. Main issues in philosophy:
a. Ontology (what is)
b. Epistemology (how can we know what is)
c. Philosophy of language and communication (how do we communicate what we know)
2. Major traditions in the philosophy of communication: rhetoric and argumentation, semiotics, phenomenology, cybernetics, social psychology, socio-cultural studies, critical theory.
3. The origins of human communication: from animals to humans (Tomasello)
a. Natural gestures (pointing, pantomiming)
b. Conventions
c. Cooperation and shared intentions
4. Language, communication and rationality
a. Syntax, semantics, pragmatics
b. Speech act theory: performatives and constatives (Austin, Searle)
c. Rational grounds for conversation (Grice)
d. Argumentation and rational communication (Habermas, van Eemeren)
Bibliography
Austin, J.L. (1962). How to do things with words. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Craig, R. T. (1999). Communication theory as a field. Communication Theory, 9(2), 119-161.
Craig, R.T., & Muller, H.L. (2007). Theorizing communication. Readings across traditions. London: Sage.
Grice, H. P. (1975). Logic and conversation. In P. Cole & J. L. Morgan (Eds.), Syntax and semantics, Vol. 3: Speech acts (pp. 41-58). New York: Academic Press.
Habermas, J. (1998). On the pragmatics of communication. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Lewiński, M., & Mohammed, D. (2016). Argumentation Theory. In K. B. Jensen & R. T. Craig (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy (pp. 1-15). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Searle, J.R. (1969). Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tomasello, M. (2008). Origins of human communication. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
[Com traduções portuguesas, quando disponíveis.]
Teaching method
The course is based on the theoretical exposition and classroom discussions of the topics presented in each class.
In class teaching
Evaluation method
40% - mid-term exam
60% - final exam