AHH04001 Modern Thought

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2024Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Lecture Code AHH04001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 現代思想

Subject Name
（Katakana）ゲンダイシソウ

Subject Name in
English Modern Thought

Instructor SHIMAMURA SHUHEI

Instructor
(Katakana) シマムラ　シュウヘイ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year,  First Semester,  2Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2T) Tues5-8：IAS K110

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) 　

Lecture

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 01 : Philosophy

Eligible Students

Keywords Reference, Meaning, Intention, Truth-Condition, Translation/Interpretation, Inference

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) Integrated Arts and Sciences
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・Knowledge and understanding of the importance and characteristics of each discipline and basic theoretical framework.
（Abilities and Skills）
・The ability and skills to specify necessary theories and methods for consideration of issues.
（Comprehensive Abilities）
・The general ability to discover issues based on the ethics in research and subjective intellectual interests, and make planning to solve them.
・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge,  understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline 1. Understand the major philosophical issues related to language.
2. Understand the various philosophical responses to these issues.
3. Develop the fundamental skill of posing questions and answering them through (1) and (2).

Class Schedule Here is an overview of the history of philosophy of language in Analytic Philosophy　(Contemporary Anglo-American Philosophy), primarily focusing on three perspectives: the period of inception, theory of reference, and theory of meaning.

Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: Inception Period (1): Meaning and Reference
Lesson 3: Inception Period (2): The Theory of Definite Description
Lesson 4: Inception Period (3): Critique of the Theory of Definite Description
Lesson 5: Theory of Reference (1): Description Theory of Proper Names and its Problems
Lesson 6: Theory of Reference (2): Direct Reference and the Causal-Historical Theory of Reference
Lesson 7: Midterm Exam and Explanation
Lesson 8: Reference and Meaning: Externalism
Lesson 9: Theory of Meaning (1): Traditional Theories of Meaning
Lesson 10: Theory of Meaning (2): Psychological Theory (Grice's Program)
Lesson 11: Theory of Meaning (3): Verificationism
Lesson 12: Theory of Meaning (4): Truth and Interpretation ① (Davidson's Program)
Lesson 13: Theory of Meaning (5): Truth and Interpretation ②
Lesson 14: Theory of Meaning (6): Use Theory and Inferentialism
Lesson 15: Final Exam and Explanation

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Philosophy of Language: A Contemporary Introduction, by W.G. Lycan (Author), translated by Toshifumi Araiso and others, published by Keisoshobo, 2005.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. 　

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated 　

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review The format primarily consists of lectures, but opportunities for discussion among participants will be provided to deepen understanding of important points. Please review the relevant chapters of the textbook beforehand and use the distributed materials for reviewing key points afterwards.

Requirements None

Grading Method ○ Contribution to Class [10%]
At the beginning of each class, "Attendance & Question Cards" will be distributed. Please submit them after the class.

○ Midterm Exam [30%]
A written exam in essay format will be conducted, covering several important keywords (philosophical questions and concepts) discussed during the course. Basic explanations of these keywords will be required.

※ In cases where attendance for the exam is impossible, a report will be assigned as a relief measure. However, to ensure fairness, the difficulty level of the report assignment will be set higher than that of the exam questions, and the grade will be calculated with 80% deduction rate (i.e., full marks are 24%).

○ Final Exam [60%]
Same as above.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message Philosophy of Language is the field that sparked the birth of Analytic Philosophy (Contemporary Anglo-American Philosophy), embodying the essence of philosophical (logical) thinking that values clarity and rigorous arguments. While it does require considerable effort to understand individual arguments thoroughly, they are by no means impenetrable and resistant to understanding. Through tackling the fundamental problems of Philosophy of Language, I encourage you to experience the joy of thinking rigorously about things.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2024Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code	AHH04001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	現代思想
Subject Name （Katakana）	ゲンダイシソウ
Subject Name in English	Modern Thought
Instructor	SHIMAMURA SHUHEI
Instructor (Katakana)	シマムラ　シュウヘイ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	2nd-Year, First Semester, 2Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(2T) Tues5-8：IAS K110
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)
Lecture
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	01 : Philosophy
Eligible Students
Keywords	Reference, Meaning, Intention, Truth-Condition, Translation/Interpretation, Inference
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	Integrated Arts and Sciences （Knowledge and Understanding）・Knowledge and understanding of the importance and characteristics of each discipline and basic theoretical framework. （Abilities and Skills）・The ability and skills to specify necessary theories and methods for consideration of issues. （Comprehensive Abilities）・The general ability to discover issues based on the ethics in research and subjective intellectual interests, and make planning to solve them. ・The ability to conduct research proactively by combining knowledge, understanding, and skills for the tasks, based on flexible creativity and imagination.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	1. Understand the major philosophical issues related to language. 2. Understand the various philosophical responses to these issues. 3. Develop the fundamental skill of posing questions and answering them through (1) and (2).
Class Schedule	Here is an overview of the history of philosophy of language in Analytic Philosophy　(Contemporary Anglo-American Philosophy), primarily focusing on three perspectives: the period of inception, theory of reference, and theory of meaning. Lesson 1: Introduction Lesson 2: Inception Period (1): Meaning and Reference Lesson 3: Inception Period (2): The Theory of Definite Description Lesson 4: Inception Period (3): Critique of the Theory of Definite Description Lesson 5: Theory of Reference (1): Description Theory of Proper Names and its Problems Lesson 6: Theory of Reference (2): Direct Reference and the Causal-Historical Theory of Reference Lesson 7: Midterm Exam and Explanation Lesson 8: Reference and Meaning: Externalism Lesson 9: Theory of Meaning (1): Traditional Theories of Meaning Lesson 10: Theory of Meaning (2): Psychological Theory (Grice's Program) Lesson 11: Theory of Meaning (3): Verificationism Lesson 12: Theory of Meaning (4): Truth and Interpretation ① (Davidson's Program) Lesson 13: Theory of Meaning (5): Truth and Interpretation ② Lesson 14: Theory of Meaning (6): Use Theory and Inferentialism Lesson 15: Final Exam and Explanation
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Philosophy of Language: A Contemporary Introduction, by W.G. Lycan (Author), translated by Toshifumi Araiso and others, published by Keisoshobo, 2005.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	The format primarily consists of lectures, but opportunities for discussion among participants will be provided to deepen understanding of important points. Please review the relevant chapters of the textbook beforehand and use the distributed materials for reviewing key points afterwards.
Requirements	None
Grading Method	○ Contribution to Class [10%] At the beginning of each class, "Attendance & Question Cards" will be distributed. Please submit them after the class. ○ Midterm Exam [30%] A written exam in essay format will be conducted, covering several important keywords (philosophical questions and concepts) discussed during the course. Basic explanations of these keywords will be required. ※ In cases where attendance for the exam is impossible, a report will be assigned as a relief measure. However, to ensure fairness, the difficulty level of the report assignment will be set higher than that of the exam questions, and the grade will be calculated with 80% deduction rate (i.e., full marks are 24%). ○ Final Exam [60%] Same as above.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	Philosophy of Language is the field that sparked the birth of Analytic Philosophy (Contemporary Anglo-American Philosophy), embodying the essence of philosophical (logical) thinking that values clarity and rigorous arguments. While it does require considerable effort to understand individual arguments thoroughly, they are by no means impenetrable and resistant to understanding. Through tackling the fundamental problems of Philosophy of Language, I encourage you to experience the joy of thinking rigorously about things.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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