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 ) 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