J. L. Austin Quotes

A collection of quotes by J. L. Austin.

J.L. Austin (1911-1960) was a prominent British philosopher and a leading figure in the field of language philosophy. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on speech acts, particularly his theory of performative utterances. Austin challenged traditional views of language and communication by asserting that language has performative power and can bring about changes in the world. His influential book, "How to Do Things with Words," revolutionized the study of linguistics and laid the foundation for the development of pragmatics. Austin's contributions continue to shape our understanding of language and its role in social interactions.

We become obsessed with 'truth' when discussing statements,

We become obsessed with 'truth' when discussing statements, just as we become obsessed with 'freedom' when discussing conduct...Like freedom, truth is a bare minimum or an illusory ideal. --Austin, Papers 130.

J. L. Austin

Truth

But suppose we take the noun 'truth': here is a case where t

But suppose we take the noun 'truth': here is a case where the disagreements between different theorists have largely turned on whether they interpreted this as a name of a substance, of a quality, or of a relation. --Austin, Papers 73.

J. L. Austin

Truth Quality