Introduction to Formal Languages: Applications and Philosophical Questions

Introduction to Formal Languages: Applications and Philosophical Questions

This lecture offers an accessible, step-by-step introduction to formal languages, requiring no prior knowledge
or prerequisites. It is designed to equip students with fundamental skills in formal languages as well as an
understanding of their role in philosophy, computer science, and linguistics.
Formal languages are crucial to the efficient and precise communication of information, offering agility
and clarity that surpass natural language, and allowing for information automation in computer. This makes
the mastery of formal languages not just an intellectual pursuit but an important practical skill for future
working philosophers, computer scientists, and linguists.
In addition, formal languages are at the center of some of the most puzzling philosophical questions, for
example about the limits of cognition, semantic paradoxes, or the existence of abstract objects.
Complementing the lecture is the seminar Classic Texts in Philosophy of Language; it provides reading
materials and examples on the topics of the course. The seminar is optional, but recommended.