Austin's "How to Do Things with Words"

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of 'operative' clauses within a legal document?

To detail the circumstances leading up to the transaction.
To execute the main objective, such as a conveyance. (correct)
To provide background information regarding the transaction.
To summarize the transaction after it has occurred.

The author introduces a 'new word' to replace 'operative' because:

The term 'operative' is used with varying meanings, leading to potential ambiguity. (correct)
Lawyers no longer understand what 'operative' means.
The term 'operative' has become too entrenched in legal jargon to be useful.
'Operative' is etymologically unsound.

What is the central question posed regarding the relationship between language and action?

Is written language superior to spoken language in performing actions?
Why do some words carry more weight than others?
Can the act of speaking itself constitute the performance of an action? (correct)
How can words be legally binding?

What is the initial objection raised against the idea that actions can be performed simply by uttering words?

The possibility of performing the same action through non-verbal means. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario provides an example of performing an action without uttering words, challenging the idea that saying makes it so?

Cohabiting to effect marriage in certain jurisdictions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to J.L. Austin, what was the traditional assumption of philosophers regarding statements?

Statements serve to describe states of affairs or state facts, which must be either true or false. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How have grammarians traditionally classified sentences, according to Austin?

Statements, questions, exclamations, commands, wishes or concessions. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What challenge do both grammarians and philosophers face when distinguishing types of sentences?

The limited and simplistic grammatical cues available, such as word order and mood. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is Austin's view on the discovery of 'fresh types of nonsense' in statements?

It has been mostly beneficial, despite unsystematic classification and mysterious explanations. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What drove the increased scrutiny of statements that were once accepted without question?

The view that statements of fact should be verifiable, leading to the identification of pseudo-statements. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial outcome of requiring statements of fact to be 'verifiable'?

It led to the identification of many statements as pseudo-statements. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why did philosophers begin to question whether apparent pseudo-statements were actually intended to be statements?

Because they were setting limits to the amount of nonsense they were willing to admit they produced. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does Austin suggest about the philosophical scrutiny of statements?

It involves recognizing and categorizing new types of nonsense. (B) Signup and view all the answers

The author introduces the term 'performative' to describe utterances that primarily:

Constitute the performance of an action through the act of uttering them. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason the author uses the term 'Constative'?

To differentiate statements of fact from other types of utterances. (A) Signup and view all the answers

The author suggests that traditional philosophical perplexities often arise from:

Misinterpreting utterances as straightforward statements of fact when they are not. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the 'descriptive fallacy' as discussed in the text?

The error of assuming that all statements serve to accurately describe reality. (C) Signup and view all the answers

The author mentions Kant to illustrate what point about utterances?

Kant was among the first to recognize how utterances can be used to evoke emotion, prescribe conduct or influence it. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why does the author consider the initial stages of the revolution in philosophy as 'piecemeal, with parti pris, and for extraneous aims'?

Because the changes were gradual, biased, and driven by external goals, which is typical of the beginnings of many revolutions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic distinguishes performative utterances from constative utterances?

Performative utterances effect an action, whereas constative utterances describe a state of affairs. (A) Signup and view all the answers

The author states that performative utterances often masquerade as:

Statements of fact. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why does the author choose seemingly unremarkable verbs in the first person singular present indicative active for initial examples of performatives?

To show that even simple, declarative sentences can be performative. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the example, 'I bet you sixpence it will rain tomorrow,' the utterance is:

The act of making a bet. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the author address the potential for performative utterances to be misused?

By acknowledging that misuse can lead to specific kinds of 'nonsense'. (C) Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, which of the following is a key feature of performative utterances?

They are context-dependent. (D) Signup and view all the answers

The author draws a parallel between the term 'performative' and 'imperative' to suggest that:

Both terms can be used in various grammatical ways. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which types of philosophical discussion are most related to performative utterances?

Ethical and legal philosophical discussions. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which phrase is closest to the meaning of 'parti pris'?

With bias. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Operative Clauses

Clauses in a document that execute the main transaction or purpose.

Recite

To repeat or state circumstances surrounding a transaction.