Non-Ideal Foundations of Language

This book argues that traditions in philosophy of language have mistakenly focused on highly idealized linguistic contexts. Instead, it presents a non-idealcfoundational theory of language that contends that the essential function of language is to direct attention for the purpose of achieving diverse social and political goals.

Jessica Keiser is Lecturer in Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Leeds, UK. Her published work has appeared in Journal of Philosophy, Mind and Language, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research,Synthese, Inquiry, and Philosophical Studies.

1. Introduction Part 1 2. Lewis 3. Grice 4. Stalnaker Part II 5. Non-Ideal Foundations of Language 6. Non-Ideal Metasemantics 7. Non-Ideal Meaning 8. Non-Ideal Discourse Structure