Drifting Towards Metaphysics

The transcript discusses the intellectual journey from philosophy of language to metaphysics, focusing on the theory of reference. It explores how words attach to both natural and non-natural things, and the need for a theory of reference in the social world. The speaker's dissertation work highlights the shift from language to metaphysics, culminating in a debate during the dissertation defense about the true focus of the work.

What is the theory of reference primarily concerned with?

• How words are attached to things in the world

• The grammatical structure of sentences

• The emotional impact of words

• The history of language development

What is a key challenge in naming non-natural things according to the second section?

• Limited understanding similar to ancient times

• Complexity of scientific terms

• Absence of linguistic rules

• Lack of historical context

What was the author's primary interest in their dissertation work?

• The grammatical structure of language

• The emotional impact of language

• The history of philosophical thought

• The metaphysics of the social world

During the dissertation defense, what was the debate about?

• The ethical implications of the study

• The originality of the research

• The historical accuracy of the dissertation

• Whether the work was about language or metaphysics

How did the author describe the relationship between language and metaphysics in their work?

• As completely separate fields

• As two sides of the same coin

• As unrelated disciplines

• As historically linked but currently distinct