Chapter 2: The Directive Function

of Language

Directive Language (p. 13)

• What directive language is

• Commands and Questions– Commands tell you to do or believe

something.– Questions tell you to give information.

• Directive sentences are not statements. – Commands are neither true nor false.

Commands (pp. 14-15)

• Concerns with meaning – Ambiguity and Vagueness

• Questions of authority – Does the person offering the command have

the authority to do so? Does it make a difference whether your philosophy teacher or your drill sergeant tells you to do pushups?

– If a person tells you to believe something, does the person’s background make any difference?

Statements and Commands (p. 16)

• Statements can be reformulated as commands– If Jed says, “Young George Washington cut

down a cherry tree” (a claim for which historical evidence is lacking), Jed can be understood as commanding you to believe that young George cut down a cherry tree: “Believe me: Young George Washington cut down a cherry tree.”

Statements and Commands (p. 16)

• Commands can be reformulated as statements– Commands can be reformulated as

statements by adding obligation words such as “You should (or ought, or are obligated to).”

– For example, the command “Eat your vegetables” can be reformulated as the statement, “You should eat your vegetables.”

Statements and Commands (p. 16)

• Kinds of obligation terms – Introducing obligation terms can introduce

ambiguities, since there are different kinds of obligation terms.

– Kinds of obligations include:• Moral• Social• Legal• Political• Religious