PHIL 363Philosophy of Language
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Philosophy
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 1 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Topics in the philosophy of language such as meaning, truth, reference, speech acts, mental representations of syntax and semantics, psycholinguistics, and relations between logical and natural languages.
Prerequisites
- Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Reviewed on UW Flow
0% liked it50% easy0% useful
From 2 ratings and 1 comment on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
I did not enjoy this course back when I took it end of 2022. It was an in-person class, yet it was entirely discussion-based, optional, with no lecturing in-person AKA an online class yet you can show up to chat about readings...? I would have preferred lectures in person or a participation grade for added motivation. Furthermore, I found the course to be taught from an extremely liberal lens (which I get at UW) but it made some class conversations uncomfortable and me not feel like I could openly discuss the way I *should* be able to in a Phil of Language course. Week-to-week material was meh.
Jul 2024 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
6 posts and comments in 3 threads mention PHIL 363, July 2014 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
Help me choose a PHIL elective 5 points, 7 comments
“I am looking to take a philosophy elective for Fall 2024. It doesn't have to be birdy. I would prefer to go for something useful and interesting. …”
u/Ylvy_reddit: “It's not any of those, but I'm taking PHIL 363 this fall which is "Philosophy of Language: Online Discourse". It seems useful and interesting to me, given how big a part online discourse plays in our lives these days.”
Spring 2014
Have you taken PHIL 363 or ENGL 306A? 2 points, 7 comments
u/Antigravity-Kitten: “What are they like? Do you have any advice on these courses?”
u/Chris24: “I'm taking ENGL 306A online right now. I find it pretty interesting, but it's occasionally a bit dry. It's interesting to see a (slightly) formalism of how we all speak. …”
u/Chris24: “… :( I want to take PHIL 363, but I have no idea when it's going to be offered (or even if it'll be offered by the time I graduate). …”
u/Antigravity-Kitten: “Yeah, I'm worried the courses I want to take won't be offered by the time I plan to graduate. Also, PHIL 363 is offered this fall!”
u/Chris24: “Well, damn it co-op.”
philosophy 100 courses? 5 points, 14 comments
“was thinking of taking 100/110/120, does anyone know if they are interesting at all? or any other recommendations for philosophy courses? …”
u/space_loner: “… logic focused, the first reading is by Turing Course that I hoped to take but never got to: PHIL 363 (philosophy of language), I've always heard it is amazingly enlightening on how the semantics of programming languages are constructed and how it relates to natural languages …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them