USC School of Philosophy USC School of Philosophy
 
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James Higginbotham

Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Linguistics and Linda MacDonald Hilf Chair in Philosophy

Contact Information
E-mail: higgy@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 821-2308
Office: MHP 107
Office Hours: Tuesday : 12.30-2.00

LINKS
Curriculum Vitae
 

Biographical Sketch

I have worked for most of my career on Philosophical problems that involve close connection with Logic and Linguistic issues, and on problems in Linguistic description and explanation that may be clarified by means of developments in mathematical and philosophical logic.

Education

  • B.S. Philosophy, Columbia University, 1/1967
  • Ph.D. Philosophy, Columbia University, 1/1973

Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History

Tenure Track Appointments
  • Professor, University of Southern California, 01/01/1999-  
  • Professor, University of Oxford, England, 06/01/1993-09/01/2000  
  • Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 07/01/1987-08/01/1993  
  • Associate Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 01/01/1982-01/01/1987  
  • Visiting Associate Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 01/01/1980-01/01/1982  
  • Senior Fellow in the Humanities, Columbia University, 01/01/1979-01/01/1980  
  • Assistant Professor, Columbia University, 01/01/1978-01/01/1979  
  • Mellon Fellow in the Humanities, Columbia University, 01/01/1976-01/01/1978  
  • Assistant Professor, Columbia University, 01/01/1973-01/01/1976  
  • Instructor, Columbia University, 01/01/1970-01/01/1973  
Visiting and Temporary Appointments
  • Enseignant Etranger, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France, 10/01/2004-11/01/2004  
  • Nelson Philosopher in Residence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 11/29/1999-12/03/1999  
  • Visiting Professor of Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, Spring 1998   
  • Visiting Researcher, University of Stuttgart, Germany, 07/01/1997-08/31/1997  
  • Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Fall 1996   

Description of Research

Summary Statement of Research Interests
Dr. Higginbotham's research includes both philosophical logic and philosophy of language, and theoretical linguistics, especially syntax and semantics. His most recent articles discuss the nature of linguistic competence, the problem of compositionality in language, and the role of first-person and demonstrative reference in thought and communication.
Research Keywords
Philosophy of Language and Mind, Theoretical Linguistics, semantics, tense, aspect, language, thought
Research Specialties
Philosophy of Language & Mind, Philosophical logic, Theoretical Linguistics

Conferences and Other Presentations

Conference Presentations
  • "The English Perfect", MIT Linguistics Colloquium, , MIT, Cambridge, MA, Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, MIT, Invited, 09/20/2006-  
  • "Reflexive Thoughts and Normal Forms", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Philosophy Institute, University of London, Invited, Spring 2009   
  • "Context and/or Anaphora", Linguistics Society of Italy, Keynote Lecture, Abstract, Pisa, Italy, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Invited, Fall 2008   
  • "Propositions, Thoughts, Anaphora", Venice, Italy Conference on Propositions, Talk/Oral Presentation, Paper, Invited, Fall 2008   
  • "Comments on Kirk Ludwig's paper", APA Central Division meeting, Lecture/Seminar, Paper, Chicago, American Philosophical Association, Invited, Spring 2008   
  • "Quine Chomsky after all these years", Conference in honor of Roger Gibson, Lecture/Seminar, Paper, University of Missouri, Columbia, University of Missouri and Washington University, , Invited, Spring 2008   
  • "Expression, Truth, Predication, Context", Context-Dependence, Lecture/Seminar, Paper, Paris, France, Ecole Normale Superieure, Invited, Fall 2007   
  • "Rules of Use", The First Person, Talk/Oral Presentation, , Lyons, France, Ecole Normale Superieure, Invited, 05/20/2007-05/23/2007  
  • "Comment on Michael Devitt, Ignorance of Language", American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division, Talk/Oral Presentation, , San Francisco, CA, American Philosophical Association, Invited, 04/17/2007  
Other Presentations
  • "Indexical Perspectives", Philosophy Workshop, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, Spring 2009   
  • "Indexical Perspectives, three lectures", Linguistics Seminar, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland, Spring 2009   
  • "Reflexive Thoughts and Normal Forms", Linguistics Colloquium, University of Tromsoe, Tromsoe, Norway, Spring 2009   
  • "Reflexive Thoughts and Normal Forms", Philosophy Colloquium, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, Spring 2009   
  • "Regimentation: Chapter 5 of Word and Object", Seminar, Pronceton University and Rutgers University, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, Spring 2009   
  • "Sententialism", Seminar, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Spring 2009   
  • "Three Lectures on the First Person", CUNY Graduate Center Colloquia, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, Spring 2009   
  • "Tense Parameters", Colloquium of the CNRS, Centre Nationale de Recherche Scientifique, France, Paris, France, Fall 2007   

Publications

Book
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2009). Tense, Aspect, and Indexicality. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Book Chapter
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2009). On Words and Thoughts About Oneself. pp. 28 pp.. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2009). Two Interfaces. pp. 142-154. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2008). Evidentials: Some Preliminary Distinctions. pp. 22. Berlin: Springer Verlag.
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2008). The English Perfect and the Metaphysics of Events. pp. 173-193. Berlin: Springer Verlag.
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2007). Remarks on Compositionality. pp. 425-444. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2006). Languages and Idiolects: Their Language and Ours. pp. 140-148. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Book Review
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2009). On Jeffrey C. King, The Nature and Structure of Content. Philosophical Books. pp. 29-37.
Journal Article
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2008). Expression, Truth, Predication, and Context. International Journal of Philosophical Studies. Vol. 16 (4), pp. 473-494.
Proceedings
  • Higginbotham, J. T. (2007). The Anaphoric Theory of Tense. pp. 26 pp.. Ithaca, NY. Cornell University Linguistics Publications.

Advisement

Office Hours
Tuesday : 12.30-2.00, Also by appointment

New Courses Developed

  • Philosophical Logic, Philosophy, A second graduate course in logic, presenting material on recursive functions and model theory, Goedel's results, and modal logic, including the provability interpretation., Spring 2010   

Honors and Awards

  • USC Distinguished Professor, 1/2008-  
  • Fellow of the British Academy, 1995-  
  • Endowed Chair, Linda MacDonald Hilf Chair in Philosophy, 3/15/2004-  
  • Vera Brittain Visiting Fellow, Somerville College Oxford, 1/2009-7/2009  
  • Fulbright Award, Distinguished Professor of the Philosophy of Language, University of Venice Ca'Foscari, Venice, Italy, 4/2003-7/2003  
  • Visiting Fellow, All Souls College Oxford, 1/4/1990-4/20/1990  

Service to the University

Administrative Appointments
  • Chair, Department of Linguistics, 08/16/2006-08/15/2009  
  • Director, School of Philosophy, 09/01/2004-08/15/2007  

Service to the Profession

Editorships and Editorial Boards
  • Editorial Board, Oxford Cognitive Science, 1995-  
  • Associate Editor, Prarmatics and Cognition, 1985-  
  • Associate Editor, The Journal of Philosophy, 1979-  
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