PHIL/LING/COMM 2504:based on the instruction and the proposal to write the paper.
the topic is topic 1, APA format. double space, 7 pages, due within 2 days.

For the reference, please use the four articles in the picture,
please choose three theories to answer. The GRice and Black’s theory is in the attachment, the lycan theory is in the following link. The main references are those three.

http://eclass.uoa.gr/modules/document/file.php/GS328/Artikel%20und%20Materialien/Lycan%20(2008).%20Philosophy%20of%20Language.%20A%20Contemporary%20Introduction%20%5B2nd%20Ed.%5D.pdf
(CHAPTER13&14)
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PHIL/LING/COMM 2504:
FINAL PAPER INSTRUCTIONS AND TOPICS
General instructions
Please read and follow these instructions carefully.
Your final paper should be approximately 2000 words long. I will not penalize you for being
slightly (approx. 200 words or fewer) under or over the word count, but keep in mind that you
will be graded on clarity and conciseness as well as on content. The challenge is to balance
sufficient detail and thoroughness, which are required for rigour, and conciseness, which is
required for clarity and force.
Your papers should demonstrate a strong grasp of the directly relevant material as well as
background concepts and debates, and you will be expected to state and defend a clear thesis.
Analysis and exegesis will comprise approximately half of your paper, and the other half will
focus on argumentation. Keep in mind that successfully defending a position requires giving
strong reasons for holding that position and considering and responding to at least one objection
to your argument(s). You are encouraged to demonstrate original thought, and to use your own
examples to help support your analysis and argument.
It is fine to use a limited number of external sources, but if you do choose to do so, be careful to
ensure that you are still primarily drawing on the course material (or that you have had your
alternative focus approved by me). It is extremely important that you cite all your sources. I am
not picky about citation style; just make sure it is clear and consistent.
Format and submission requirements
Your papers should be written in 12 point font, double spaced, with normal margins. You do not
need a title page. On the first page of your essay, indicate your full name and/or student number,
the topic number, the date, and your word count in the top right hand corner. You will be
submitting your papers via cuLearn. Please submit the paper as a Word document so that I can
comment with the “track changes” function.
You will have until 11:59pm on Friday April 8th to submit your papers, as this is the last
possible day for an official class assignment deadline. Papers submitted after this time but before
Friday April 15th at 11:59pm will not receive a penalty, but will receive only a grade (though all
students are welcome to make an appointment to have a discussion about/receive more detailed
feedback on their work). All papers received after April 15
th will be deducted by 5% per day for
a maximum of five days, after which they will receive a zero.
Assistance with the paper
Anyone participating in the final paper workshop should bring their proposal and be ready to
participate in order to be eligible for a small bonus grade. (Note: see separate document for
proposal instructions). Please note that neither Aaron nor I will be able to give feedback on drafts
on an individual basis, but you are welcome to bring outlines and questions to us. Aaron will be
holding office hours sessions, and I will hold special sessions in addition to my regular hours on
Mondays. These will be announced in class and indicated on cuLearn.
I strongly encourage you to consult this resource on philosophical writing:
http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html
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Topics
You are not limited to the following topics, but if you wish to write on a different topic, you
must have it approved by the instructor.
1. People often say things without stating them (e.g., by using non-literal language with sarcasm,
or by implying with word choice). How do you think such forms of expression should be viewed
and treated in the study of language and/or communication? Explain and defend your position,
drawing on between two to three views/philosophers we examined in Part IV of the course.
2. Compare and contrast two theories of linguistic meaning that we have examined in class, and
assess their respective merits in light of the challenge posed by metaphor.
3. Present and defend an account of the nature of language development that draws on the views
of two to three philosophers we have studied in class, including at least one from Part V of the
course (e.g. Chomsky and Gopnik).
4. Use an original example or set of examples to show how communication is cooperative,
drawing on the views of two to three philosophers we have studied in class (e.g. Davidson and
Grice). Use your example(s) to assess the respect merits and shortcomings of each of these
views.
5. In “The War on Compassion,” Carol Adams suggests that oppression and brutality toward a
group often requires a process of what we can refer to as “massification.” Drawing on this, her
discussion of the absent referent, and the work of one to two other philosophers we studied in
class, outline and defend your own account of how language, thought, and action influence one
another.
6. Drawing on two or three articles from Part V of the course, explain why we might think
cultural/historical trends in language use have significant social and political effects. Outline and
defend a position on how these effects should or should not influence theory of language and/or
communication, with appeal to one or two of these theories that we examined in class.
7. What is the relationship between language and reality? Draw on two or three philosophers we
have studied in class, including at least one from Part IV or V, to outline and defend an account
of this relationship.