Tomasello and DavidsonBranham Ross
Level 1 Meeting Room, Old Quad,
Melbourne University
Melbourne 3010
Australia
Organisers:
Topic areas
Details
Abstract: In the 2008 Jean Nicod Lectures, entitled 'Origins of Human
Communication', Michael Tomasello argues that empirical, comparative
research between chimpanzees and human infants supports a Gricean
conception of shared intentionality as being essentially what
distinguishes human language from non-human communication. Having
outlined Tomasello's argument, I will argue for the following two
claims. 1) Donald Davidson's Argument from Triangulation both supports
and is potentially completed by Tomasello's research. 2) In light of
(1), the purely theoretical nature of Davidson's argument suggests
that the supporting evolutionary story offered by Tomasello stands (or
falls) independently of the emphasis he places on referentiality as
being indicative of shared intentionality.
For those interested, see the following Youtube interview with
Tomasello in 2008:
This is a student event (e.g. a graduate conference).
Registration
No
Who is attending?
No one has said they will attend yet.
Will you attend this event?