Meaning

(4 Credits)

This course is about a supreme aspect of the human race: seeking and creating meaning. The central topic of this course is how humans use language to encode meaning, create meaning, interpret meaning, do with meaning, and reflect on meaning, and then how humans’ meaning-related activities go beyond language. We will study how philosophers and linguists approach this topic, introducing influential ideas on language and meaning. We will also study how various kinds of media, from pictures and comics to computer programs, provide new ways of encoding and interpreting meaning as well as new perspectives on studying meaning. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Core STS; Neural Science elective; Humanities Introductory course.