James Grant, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Oxford, introduces some of the key concepts in discussions of metaphor in the philosophy of language. He then discusses Donald Davidson's very influential and very controversial paper, 'What Metaphors Mean'. Davidson argues that a metaphor means exactly what the words of the sentence mean when taken literally, and nothing more.

Metaphor: Philosophical Issues

1. What Metaphors Mean

Lecture series introducing some of the main debates about metaphor in contemporary aesthetics and philosophy of language. No background in either philosophy of language or aesthetics is required. Questions considered include: Are there some thoughts that can only be expressed in metaphor? Why do we speak metaphorically, especially in describing how things look, sound, taste and smell? How do metaphors get the special meaning or content they have? And do metaphors have a non-literal meaning or content at all?

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Metaphor: Philosophical Issues