Herman Cappelen investigates how language and other representational devices can go wrong, and how to fix them. We use language to understand and talk about the world, but what if our language has deficiencies that prevent it from playing that role? How can we revise our concepts, and what are the limits on revision?

I. Introduction to Conceptual Engineering 1: Introduction 2: Illustrations: Conceptual Engineering in Philosophy and Beyond 3: Arguments for the Importance of Conceptual Engineering and Implications for Philosophical Methodology 4: On the Importance of a General Theory and an Overview of the Austerity Framework II. Towards a General Theory, 1: Metasemantic Foundations 5: Metasemantics, Metasemantic Superstructure and Metasemantic base 6: Externalist Conceptual Engineering 7: Corollaries of Externalism: Inscrutability, Lack of Control, and Anti-Luminosity 8: The Illusion of Incoherent / Inconsistent Concepts III. Towards a General Theory, 2: Topic Continuity as the Limits for Revision 9: The Limits of Revision and Topics (Dis)Continuity and Miscommunication 10: Reply to Strawson 1: Continuity of Topic, Samesaying and the Contestation Theory 11: Reply to Strawson 2: Lexical Effects IV. Towards a General Theory, 3: Worldliness and the Varieties of Conceptual Engineering 12: The Worldliness of Conceptual Engineering 13: Varieties of Conceptual Engineering 14: Objections and Replies V. Compare and Contrast: Alternative Accounts of Conceptual Engineering 15: Metalinguistic Negotiation 16: On Appeals to Function 17: Chalmers on the Subscript Gambit 18: Conceptual Engineering Without Bedrock and Without Fixed Points 19: Concluding Remarks: Looking Ahead

... the past few years have seen an explosion of work that is described by its authors as "conceptual engineering"; and Cappelen bears no small share of the responsibility for this. ... I would recommend Fixing Language to anyone interested in meaning and philosophical methodology. This is not only because of the interest of the various ideas Cappelen discusses under the umbrella of the Austerity Framework, but also because of the many acute criticisms of alternative views.

The first book on the hot topic of conceptual engineering A landmark work in philosophical methodology Draws together various revisionist strands in philosophy and shows their historical roots Relevant to all areas of philosophy

Herman Cappelen is a professor of philosophy at the University of Oslo and at the University of St Andrews. He is one of the co-directors of ConceptLab. He has written and co-authored several books and works in all areas of philosophy.

The first book on the hot topic of conceptual engineering A landmark work in philosophical methodology Draws together various revisionist strands in philosophy and shows their historical roots Relevant to all areas of philosophy