Summary
John L. Austin's "Philosophical Papers" defends ordinary language philosophy and the idea that careful attention to everyday language use reveals philosophical truths. Austin argues that many traditional philosophical problems arise from misusing or misunderstanding the nuances of ordinary language, and that by analyzing how we actually speak, we can resolve these issues. He contends that linguistic phenomena, such as performative utterances and the variety of ways we justify our beliefs, are not mere linguistic quirks but offer direct insight into concepts like truth, knowledge, and meaning.
The collection demonstrates how detailed linguistic analysis can dismantle abstract philosophical puzzles. Readers gain an appreciation for the power of close observation of common speech to illuminate complex philosophical questions, moving away from speculative theories towards empirical investigation of language. Key takeaways include understanding how speech acts function, the nature of evidence and justification, and the philosophical relevance of ordinary distinctions that philosophers often overlook.
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Key concepts
- Performative Utterance — An utterance that does not merely describe an action but *is* an action, such as "I promise" or "I apologize."
- Constative Utterance — An utterance that describes or reports a state of affairs, which can be judged true or false.
- Explicit Performative — A performative utterance that explicitly names the speech act being performed, like "I christen this ship."
- Infelicities — Failures or defects in the performance of a performative utterance, preventing it from successfully achieving its intended action.
- Speech Act Theory — A theory that analyzes utterances not just as statements but as actions performed in language, encompassing locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts.