28-29 March 2011

The focus of this workshop is on questions that arise at the intersection of three areas of research: (a) the nature of linguistic understanding; (b) the epistemology of testimony; and (c) the role of extra-linguistic context in the theory of meaning. We will discuss questions such as the following: What must linguistic understanding be, such that it facilitates the acquisition of knowledge by testimony? If understanding consists in knowledge of meaning, in what sense (if any) can testimony be regarded as a basic source of justification? How does knowledge of meaning interact with contextual cues in order for a hearer to determine what the speaker means by an utterance? Does this show that utterance understanding, and acquiring testimonial knowledge on that basis, must be an inferential process?

Workshop papers will be distributed in advance, and the sessions will consist of short introductory presentations by contributors, followed by extended discussion. The workshop is open to everyone, but space is limited. If you are interested in participating, please contact Brendan at bbalcerakjackson@gmail.com.

Monday 28th March

10:30-12:00 Guy Longworth (Warwick)

“Testimony and Understanding What is Said”

12:00-14:00 Lunch

14:00-15:30 Elizabeth Fricker (Oxford)

“Stating and Insinuating”

15:30-16:00 Coffee break

16:00-17:30 Brendan Balcerak Jackson (Köln)

“Understanding, Knowing and Perceiving”

Tuesday 29th March

9:00-10:30 Lars Dänzer (Köln)

“In Defense of a Doxastic Account of Utterance Understanding”

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

11:00-12:30 Nikola Kompa (Bern)

“Communication, Interpretation & Knowledge of Meaning”

12:30-14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 15:30 Dean Pettit (Chapel Hill)

“Our Epistemic Relationship to Language”