J. J. Acero on 'assertion' in Theorema: Theme A in Grice's WoW

Abstract:

"Grice's analysis of non-natural meaning fed the idea that semantics could be reduced to psychology, since it made it conceivable to seriously think that semantic notions could be defined in terms of psychological notions. The role played by a certain kind of intensions, i.e., communicative intentions (hereby called G-intentions) was central to such an enterprise. On the other hand, Grice did not overlook the possibility of G-intentions' being absent in humans devoid of language. This is the target which this paper aims at. Thus, it is argued that rich linguistic abilities are needed to act under the guide of G-intentions. The key ingredient in the argument is a view of intentions, many of them anyway, as assertions addressed to oneself."