PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophy of Language

Question 1

According to Frege, the 'sense' (Sinn) of an expression is best described as:

Accepted Answer

The mode of presentation by which the referent is determined

Answer

Frege distinguished sense as the mode of presentation—the way the referent is determined—from reference (Bedeutung), which is the object itself.

Question 2

Bertrand Russell's theory of definite descriptions analyzes 'The present King of France is bald' as:

Accepted Answer

False, because it asserts existence, uniqueness, and a property, and the existence claim fails

Answer

For Russell, 'The F is G' is analyzable as 'there exists exactly one F, and it is G'—so the sentence is false when no such entity exists.

Question 3

Which philosopher argued that the meaning of a word is its use, understood through participation in 'language games'?

Accepted Answer

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Answer

Wittgenstein's later philosophy in Philosophical Investigations holds that the meaning of a word is determined by how it is used within social practices he called 'language games.'

Question 4

J.L. Austin's speech act theory identifies 'illocutionary acts' as:

Accepted Answer

The action performed in saying something, such as promising or warning

Answer

Austin distinguished locutionary (saying something), illocutionary (acting in saying—promising, asserting, ordering), and perlocutionary acts (effects on the hearer).

Question 5

Grice's maxim of Quantity states that a speaker should:

Accepted Answer

Make their contribution as informative as required, but not more so

Answer

The maxim of Quantity governs informativeness: say enough for the purpose but not more, enabling hearers to draw implicatures when speakers appear to violate it.

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Philosophy of Language