Our research in this area includes the following themes:

  • The development of conceptions of logic and the philosophy of logic from Frege  to the later Wittgenstein;
  • The notion(s) of logical analysis and its later transformations, such as Carnapian explication and Strawsonian connective analysis;
  • A proper understanding of ‘linguistic creativity' as the notion is used in linguistics and philosophy;
  • The role of logic in linguistic and scientific analysis;
  • The cognitive basis of language;
  • The problem of the unity of proposition and the concepts of logical form and syntax.

Members of the School of Philosophy working in this area

Prof John Collins principally works in the philosophy of language, with reference to contemporary linguistics and early analytical philosophy. He is also interested in the concepts of truth, logical form, and the cognitive basis of language, especially the notions of innateness, representation, and computation. (See Publications and Academia.edu page)

Dr Eugen Fischer explores how different strands of 20th century analytic philosophy developed the idea that philosophical problems ought to be ‘dissolved', with a focus on the works of Ayer, Austin and the later Wittgenstein. Fischer is particularly interested in how Wittgenstein and (intermittently) Austin pursued ‘therapeutic' aims and explored different kinds of ‘concealed motives' informing philosophical beliefs, including ‘philosophical pictures' of which we are largely unaware. (See Publications and Academia.edu page)

Dr Oskari Kuusela is particularly interested in his research to uncover and spell out certain alternative lines of development and sidetracked ways of thinking about logic with special reference to Wittgenstein's early and late philosophy. From this angle disputes between different strands of analytic philosophy (logical positivism and its heirs and ordinary language philosophy) can be seen in a new light, and unresolved issues addressed in fruitful ways. (See Publications and Academia.edu page)