Ray Monk - How to Read Wittgenstein (2005)

8/10/2019 Ray Monk - How to Read Wittgenstein (2005)

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W I T T G E N S T E I N

R A Y M 0 N K


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W IT T G E N S T E IN

R A Y M O N K

G r a n t a B o o k s

L o n d o n


3/122

H O W T O R E A D

A v a i l a b l e n o w

H o w t o R e a d D a r u n n b y M a r k R i d l e y

H o w t o R e a d F r e u d b y J o s h C o h e n

H o w t o R e a d H i t l e r b y N e i l G r e g o r

H o w t o R e a d N i e t z s c h e b y K e i t h A n s e l l P e a r s o n

H o w t o R e a d S a d e b y J o h n P h i l l i p s

H o w t o R e a d W i t t g e n s t e i n b y R a y M o n k

P u b l i s h e d A u t u m n 2 0 0 5

H o w t o R e a d F o u c a u l t b y I a n H a c k i n g

H o w t o R e a d H e i d e g g e r b y M a r k W r a t h a l l

H o w t o R e a d J u n g b y A n d r e w S a m u e l s

H o w t o R e a d M a r x b y P e t e r O s b o r n e

H o w t o R e a d S h a k e s p e a r e b y N i c h o l a s R o y l e

F o r t h c o m i n g

H o w t o R e a d d e B e a u v o i r b y S t e l l a S a n d f o r d

H o w t o R e a d D e r r i d a b y P e n e l o p e D e u t s c h e r

H o w t o R e a d S a r t r e b y R o b e r t B e r n a s c o n i


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G r a n u P u b l i c a t i o n s , 2 / 3 H a n o v e r Y a r d , N o e l R o a d , L o n d o n N I 8 B E

F i r s t p u b l i s h e d i n G r e a t B r i t a i n b y G r a n t a B o o k s 2 0 0 5

C o p y r i g h t C * R a y M o n k . 2 0 0 5

T r a c ta t u s L o g i c o - P h i l o s o p h i e s b y L u d w i g W i t t g e n s t e i n , t r a n s l a t e d b y P e a r s

a n d M c G u i n n e s s , 1 9 7 5 , R o u d e d g e . L o g i c a n d K n o w l e d g e b y B e r t r a n d

R u s s e l l , 1 9 5 7 , R o u d e d g e , T h e B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l P e a c e F o u n d a t i o n . B l u e

a n d B r o w n B o o k s : P r e l i m i n a r y S t u d i e s f o r t h e P h i l o s o p h i c a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n s '

b y L u d w i g W i t t g e n s t e i n , t r a n s l a t e d b y G . E . M . A n s c o m b e , B l a c k w e l l

P u b l i s h i n g . P h i lo s o p h i c a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n s b y L u d w i g W i t t g e n s t e i n , t r a n s l a t e d

b y G . E . M . A n s c o m b e . B l a c k w e l l P u b l i s h i n g . P h i l o s o p h i c a l R e m a r k s b y

L u d w i g W i t t g e n s t e i n , e d i t e d b y R u s h R h e e s , t r a n s l a t e d b y R . H a r g r e a v e s

a n d R . W h i t e , B l a c k w e l l P u b l i s h i n g . L a s t W r i t i n g s o n t h e P h i l o s o p h y o f

P s y c h o l o g y b y W i t t g e n s t e i n , e d . V o n W r i g h t a n d H e i k k i N y m a n , t r a n s l a t e d

b y L u c k h a r d , V o l s I a n d 1 1 , B l a c k w e l l P u b l i s h i n g . L e t t e r s t o R u s s e l l , K e y n e s , a n d

M o r e , e d . V o n W r i g h t , B l a c k w e l l P u b l i s h i n g . U s e d w i t h k i n d p e r m i s s i o n .

R a y M o n k h a s a s s e r t e d h i s m o r a l r i g h t u n d e r t h e C o p y r i g h t . D e s i g n s a n d

P a t e n t s A c t , 1 9 8 8 , t o b e i d e n t i f i e d a s t h e a u t h o r o f t h i s w o r k .

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . N o r e p r o d u c t i o n , c o p y o r t r a n s m i s s i o n s o f t h i s

p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e m a d e w i t h o u t w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n . N o p a r a g r a p h

o f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e r e p r o d u c e d , c o p i e d o r t r a n s m i t t e d s a v e w i t h

w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n o r i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e

C o p y r i g h t A c t 1 9 5 6 ( a s a m e n d e d ) . A n y p e r s o n w h o d o e s a n y

u n a u t h o r i z e d a c t i n r e l a t i o n t o t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e l i a b l e t o

c r i m i n a l p r o s e c u t i o n a n d c i v i l c l a i m s f o r d a m a g e s .

A C I P c a t a l o g u e r e c o r d f o r t h i s b o o k

i s a v a i l a b l e f r o m t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y .

1 3 5 7 9 1 0 8 6 4 2

T V p e s e t b y M R u l e s

P r i n t e d a n d b o u n d i n G r e a t B r i t a i n b y

B o o k m a r q u e L i m i t e d , C r o y d o n , S u r r e y


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CONTENTS

S e r i e s E d i t o r s F o r e w o r d

I n t r o d u c t i o n

L o g i c , S c i e n c e a n d B u s i n e s s

C l e a r i n g u p P h i l o s o p h y i n T h r e e W o r d s

P i c t u r i n g t h e W o r l d

W h a t is a P r o p o s i t i o n ?

W h a t is P h i l o s o p h y ?

T h e D i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f L o g i c a l F o r m

T h e N e w P h i l o s o p h y : G i v i n g u p t h e C r y s t a l l i n e

P u r i t y o f L o g i c

L a n g u a g e G a m e s

C a n t h e r e b e a P r i v a t e L a n g u a g e ?

R e a d i n g W i t t g e n s t e i n i n t h e R i g h t S p i r i t

U n d e r s t a n d i n g O t h e r s , U n d e r s t a n d i n g O u r s e l v e s :

I m p o n d e r a b l e E v i d e n c e

C h r o n o l o g y

S u g g e s t i o n s f o r F u r t h e r R e a d i n g

I n d e x


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SERIES EDITOR'S FOREWORD

H o w a m I t o r e a d How to R eadl

T h i s s e r i e s is b a s e d o n a v e r y s i m p l e , b u t n o v e l i d e a . M o s t

b e g i n n e r s g u i d e s t o g r e a t t h i n k e r s a n d w r i t e r s o f f e r e i t h e r

p o t t e d b i o g r a p h y o r c o n d e n s e d s u m m a r i e s o f t h e i r m a j o r

w o r k s , o r p e r h a p s e v e n b o t h . H o w t o R e a d , b y c o n t r a s t ,

b r i n g s t h e r e a d e r f a c e - t o - f a c e w i t h t h e w r i t i n g i t s e l f i n t h e

c o m p a n y o f a n e x p e r t g u i d e . I t s s t a r t i n g p o i n t i s t h a t i n

o r d e r t o g e t c l o s e t o w h a t a w r i t e r is a l l a b o u t , y o u h a v e t o

g e t c l o s e t o t h e w o r d s t h e y a c t u a l l y u s e a n d b e s h o w n h o w

t o r e a d t h o s e w o r d s .

E v e r y b o o k i n t h e s e r i e s is i n a w a y a m a s t e r c l a s s i n r e a d i n g .

E a c h a u t h o r h a s s e l e c t e d t e n o r s o s h o r t e x t r a c t s f r o m a

w r i t e r s w o r k a n d l o o k s a t t h e m i n d e t a i l a s a w a y o f r e v e a l i n g

t h e i r c e n t r a l i d e a s a n d t h e r e b y o p e n i n g d o o r s o n t o a w h o l e

w o r l d o f t h o u g h t . S o m e t i m e s t h e s e e x t r a c t s a r e a r r a n g e d

c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y t o g i v e a s e n s e o f a t h i n k e r s d e v e l o p m e n t

o v e r t i m e , s o m e t i m e s n o t . T h e b o o k s a r e n o t m e r e l y c o m p i

l a t i o n s o f a t h i n k e r s m o s t f a m o u s p a s s a g e s , t h e i r g r e a t e s t h i t s ,

b u t r a t h e r t h e y o f f e r a s e r i e s o f c l u e s o r k e y s t h a t w i l l e n a b l e

l e a d e r s t o g o o n a n d m a k e d i s c o v e r i e s o f t h e i r o w n . I n a d d i

t i o n t o t h e t e x t s a n d r e a d i n g s , e a c h b o o k p r o v i d e s a s h o r t

j W o g r a p h i c a l c h r o n o l o g y a n d s u g g e s t i o n s f o r f u r t h e r r e a d i n g


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SERIES EDITORS FOREWORD

a n d s o o n . T h e b o o k s i n t h e H o w t o R e a d s e r i e s d o n t c l a i m

t o t e l l y o u a l l y o u n e e d t o k n o w a b o u t F r e u d , N i e t z s c h e a n d

D a r w i n , o r i n d e e d S h a k e s p e a r e a n d t h e M a r q u i s d e S a d e , b u t

t h e y d o o f f e r t h e b e s t s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r f u r t h e r e x p l o r a t i o n .

U n l i k e t h e a v a i l a b l e s e c o n d - h a n d v e r s i o n s o f t h e m i n d s

t h a t h a v e s h a p e d o u r i n t e l l e c t u a l , c u l t u r a l , r e l i g i o u s , p o l i t i c a l

a n d s c i e n t i f i c l a n d s c a p e , H o w t o R e a d o f f e r s a r e f r e s h i n g s e t o f

f i r s t - h a n d e n c o u n t e r s w i t h t h o s e m i n d s . O u r h o p e i s t h a t

t h e s e b o o k s w i l l , b y t u r n , i n s t r u c t , i n t r i g u e , e m b o l d e n ,

e n c o u r a g e a n d d e l i g h t .

vi

S i m o n C r i t c h l e y

N e w S c h o o l f o r S o c i a l R e s e a r c h , N e w Y o r k


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INTRODUCT ION

L u d w i g W i t t g e n s t e i n ( 1 8 8 9 - 1 9 5 1 ) w a s b y u n i v e r s a l a g r e e

m e n t o n e o f g r e a t e s t a n d o n e o f t h e m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l

p h i l o s o p h e r s o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y . T h e r e , h o w e v e r , t h e

a g r e e m e n t s t o p s . T h e q u e s t i o n o f h o w t o r e a d h i m i s o n e t h a t

h a s e x c i t e d a g r e a t d e a l o f c o n t r o v e r s y e v e r s i n c e h i s f i r s t

b o o k , T r a c t a t u s L o g i c o - P h i l o s o p h i c u s , w a s p u b l i s h e d i n 1 9 2 1 .

T h e r e i s n o c o n s e n s u s o n h o w t h a t b o o k s h o u l d b e i n t e r

p r e t e d , o r o n h o w h i s l a t e r w o r k , P h i l o s o p h i c a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n s ,

o u g h t t o b e r e a d , o r a g a i n o n t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e l a t e r

w o r k r e p u d i a t e s t h e e a r l i e r .

I n t h i s c o n t e x t , i t i s e x t r e m e l y p r e s u m p t u o u s t o p u b l i s h a

b o o k c a l l e d H o w t o R e a d W i t t g e n s t e i n . I a p o l o g i z e i n a d v a n c e

f o r d o i n g s o a n d w a n t t o m a k e i t c l e a r t h a t w h a t I o f f e r h e r e

i s o n l y o n e p o s s i b l e w a y o f r e a d i n g W i t t g e n s t e i n .

T h e e x t r a c t s f r o m W i t t g e n s t e i n s o w n w r i t i n g s t h a t a r e

r e p r o d u c e d a n d d i s c u s s e d b e l o w a r e a r r a n g e d i n b r o a d l y

c h r o n o l o g i c a l o r d e r a n d I g i v e s o m e b i o g r a p h i c a l d e t a i l s i n

a m o n g s t t h e c o m m e n t a r y t h a t I o f f e r . H o w e v e r , i t m i g h t b e a s

w e l l t o b e g i n w i t h a s u m m a r y .

W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s b o r n i n V i e n n a i n 1 8 8 9 i n t o o n e o f t h e

w e a l t h i e s t f a m i l i e s o f t h e A u s t r o - H u n g a r i a n E m p i r e . H i s

f a t h e r w a s a n i n d u s t r i a l i s t w h o o w n e d p r a c t i c a l l y t h e w h o l e

o f t h e A u s t r i a n i r o n a n d s t e e l i n d u s t r y . U n d e r h i s f a t h e r s


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2 INTRODUCTION

i n f l u e n c e , W i t t g e n s t e i n s t u d i e d e n g i n e e r i n g , f i r s t a t B e r l i n a n d

t h e n a t M a n c h e s t e r , b u t t h e n b e c a m e g r i p p e d b y p h i l o s o p h i c a l

q u e s t i o n s a n d c a m e t o C a m b r i d g e i n t h e a u t u m n o f 1 9 1 1 t o

s t u d y w i t h B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l . W i t t g e n s t e i n q u i c k l y b e c a m e

R u s s e l l s f a v o u r i t e p u p i l a n d t h e o n e t o w h o m R u s s e l l l o o k e d

f o r a s o l u t i o n t o t h e u n r e s o l v e d q u e s t i o n s i n t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f

l o g i c . I n 1 9 1 3 , W i t t g e n s t e i n l e f t C a m b r i d g e t o l i v e a l o n e i n

N o r w a y , h o p i n g t h a t t h e s o l i t u d e w o u l d h e l p h i s c o n c e n t r a

t i o n . H e s p e n t a y e a r t h e r e , t h i n k i n g a b o u t l o g i c , b e f o r e

r e t u r n i n g t o V i e n n a o n t h e e v e o f t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r .

D u r i n g t h e w a r , W i t t g e n s t e i n s e r v e d i n t h e A u s t r i a n a r m y

a n d , a t t h e e n d o f t h e w a r , w a s t a k e n p r i s o n e r b y t h e I t a l i a n s .

B y t h a t t i m e , h e h a d f i n i s h e d T r a c t a tu s L o g ic o - P h i l o s o p h ic u s ,

w h i c h , h o w e v e r , w a s n o t p u b l i s h e d u n t i l 1 9 2 1 . T h i n k i n g

h e h a d , i n t h a t b o o k , s o l v e d a l l p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s ,

W i t t g e n s t e i n g a v e u p p h i l o s o p h y a n d b e c a m e a s c h o o l t e a c h e r .

H i s t i m e a s a t e a c h e r w a s s h o r t , u n s u c c e s s f u l a n d m i s e r a b l e

a n d i n 1 9 2 6 h e s w i t c h e d t o b e i n g a n a r c h i t e c t , b e f o r e , i n

1 9 2 9 , r e t u r n i n g t o C a m b r i d g e t o w o r k o n p h i l o s o p h y a g a i n ,

h a v i n g b e c o m e c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e T r a c t a t u s d i d n o t , a f t e r a l l ,

p r o v i d e t h e f i n a l s o l u t i o n t o a ll t h e p r o b l e m s o f p h i l o s o p h y .

F r o m 1 9 2 9 u n t i l h i s d e a t h i n 1 9 5 1 , W i t t g e n s t e i n w o r k e d

o u t a n e w w a y o f d o i n g p h i l o s o p h y t h a t h a s n o p r e c e d e n t i n

t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e s u b j e c t . I t i s a w a y o f a p p r o a c h i n g p h i l o s o

p h y t h a t t r i e s t o r e m a i n f a i t h f u l t o t h e i n s i g h t h e h a d i n t h e

T r a c ta t u s t h a t p h i l o s o p h y c a n n o t b e a s c i e n c e , o r a n y t h i n g l i k e

a s c i e n c e . I t i s n o t a b o d y o f d o c t r i n e b u t a n a c d v i t y , t h e

a c t i v i t y o f c l e a r i n g u p t h e c o n f u s i o n s c a u s e d b y t h e b e w i t c h

m e n t s c a s t b y l a n g u a g e .

T h i s c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t i s , i n m y o p i n i o n ,

W i t t g e n s t e i n s m o s t r a d i c a l a n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t c o n t r i b u t i o n

t o p h i l o s o p h y .


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L O G I C , S C I E N C E A N D B U S IN E S S

T h e S c i e n c e o f L o g i c :an inquiry into the principles of accurate

thought and scientific method. By P. Coffey, Ph.D.

(Louvain). Professor of Logic and Metaphysics, Maynooth

College. Longmans, Green & Co. 1912.

In no branch of learning can an author disregard the results

of honest research with so much impunity as he can in

Philosophy and Logic. To this circumstance we owe the pub

lication of such a book as Mr Coffeys 'Science of Logic: and

only as a typical example of the work of many logicians today

does this book deserve consideration. The authors Logic is

that of the scholastic philosophers and he makes all their

mistakes - of course with the usual references to Aristotle.

(Aristotle, whose name is so much taken in vain by our logicians, would turn in his grave if he knew that so many

Logicians know no more about Logic to-day than he did

2,000 years ago.) The author has not taken the slightest

notice of the great work of the modern mathematical logi

cians - work which has brought about an advance in Logic

comparable only to that which made Astronomy out of

Astrology, and Chemistry out of Alchemy.


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LOGIC, SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

Mr Coffey, like many logicians, draws a great advantage

from an unclear way of expressing himself; for if you cannot

tell whether he means to say 'Yes' or No, it is difficult to

argue against him. However, even through his foggy expres

sion, many grave mistakes can be recognized clearly

enough; and I propose to give a list of some of the most

striking ones, and would advise the student of Logic to

trace these mistakes and their consequences in other books

on Logic also. (The numbers in brackets indicate the pages

of Mr Coffeys book - Volume 1 - where a mistake occurs forthe first time; the illustrative examples are my own.)

I. (36) The author believes that all propositions are of

the subject-predicate form.

II. [31] He believes that reality is changed by becoming

an object of thoughts.

III. (6) He confounds the copula is with the word is'

expressing identity. (The word is has obviously differ

ent meanings in the propositions -

Twice two is four

and Socrates is mortal.)

IV. (46) He confounds things with the classes to which

they belong. (A man is obviously something quite different from mankind.)

V. [48] He confounds classes and complexes. (Mankind

is a class whose elements are men; but a library is not

a class whose elements are books, because books

become parts of a library only by standing in certain

spatial relations to one another - while classes are

independent of the relations between their members.)

VI. [47] He confounds complexes and sums. (Two plus

two is four, but four is not a complex of two and itself.)


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LOGIC. SCIENCE AND BUSINESS 5

This list of mistakes could be extended a good deal.

The Worst of such books as this is that they prejudice sen

sible people against the study of Logic.

Cambridge Review, 1913

W i t t g e n s t e i n s p u b l i s h e d o u t p u t w a s t i n y . I n h i s l i f e t i m e , h e

p u b l i s h e d j u s t o n e b o o k , o n e a r t i c l e a n d o n e b o o k r e v i e w .

T h i s ( t h e a b o v e ) i s t h e b o o k r e v i e w . I t w a s p u b l i s h e d i n 1 9 1 3

i n a C a m b r i d g e u n d e r g r a d u a t e m a g a z i n e c a l l e d t h e C a m b r i d g e

R e v i e w ; a n d w a s h i s v e r y f i r s t p u b l i c a t i o n . W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s

t h e n a s t u d e n t o f p h i l o s o p h y a t T r i n i t y C o l l e g e , C a m b r i d g e ,

h a l f w a y t h r o u g h h i s s e c o n d y e a r o f s t u d y . I n m a n y w a y s ,

t h o u g h , i t w o u l d b e m i s l e a d i n g t o p i c t u r e h i m a t t h i s t i m e a s

a n u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t , o r , i n a n y c a s e , i t w o u l d b e m i s

l e a d i n g t o t h i n k o f h i m a s , i n a n y s e n s e , a n o r d i n a r y

u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t . F o r o n e t h i n g , a t t w e n t y - f o u r , h e w a s

a f e w y e a r s o l d e r t h a n t h e u s u a l s e c o n d - y e a r u n d e r g r a d u a t e ,

h a v i n g s p e n t t h r e e y e a r s b e f o r e h e w e n t t o C a m b r i d g e a s a n

e n g i n e e r i n g s t u d e n t i n M a n c h e s t e r . F o r a n o t h e r t h i n g , h e

w a s a l r e a d y r e g a r d e d b y t w o o f t h e m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l p h i l o s o

p h e r s o f t h e d a y , G . E . M o o r e a n d B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l , a s a

s i g n i f i c a n t p h i l o s o p h e r i n h i s o w n r i g h t . I n d e e d , w h e n

W i t t g e n s t e i n s s i s t e r , H e r m i n e , v i s i t e d h i m a t C a m b r i d g e i n

t h e s u m m e r o f 1 9 1 2 , w h e n h e h a d b e e n t h e r e l e s s t h a n a

y e a r , R u s s e l l t o l d h e r : W e e x p e c t t h e n e x t b i g s t e p i n p h i l o s

o p h y t o b e t a k e n b y y o u r b r o t h e r .

A s R u s s e l l s r e m a r k s u g g e s t s , W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s n o t f o l l o w

i n g a c o n v e n t i o n a l u n d e r g r a d u a t e c o u r s e i n p h i l o s o p h y . H e

a t t e n d e d R u s s e l l s l e c t u r e s , a n d , o c c a s i o n a l l y , t h o s e b y M o o r e

a n d t h e o t h e r C a m b r i d g e p h i l o s o p h e r s , b u t t h e r e i s n o t h i n g t o

i n d i c a t e t h a t h e e v e r s e r i o u s l y c o n s i d e r e d s i t t i n g a n y e x a m i

n a t i o n s . H i s f o r m a l s t a t u s w a s t h a t o f a n u n d e r g r a d u a t e , b u t h e


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6 LOGIC. SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

r e g a r d e d h i m s e l f , a n d , m o r e r e m a r k a b l y , w a s r e g a r d e d b y

o t h e r s , n o t a s a s t u d e n t o f p h i l o s o p h y b u t a s a n o r i g i n a l

p h i l o s o p h e r , a t t e m p t i n g t o p r o v i d e n e w s o l u t i o n s t o p r o b l e m s

t h a t w e r e a t t h e v e r y c u t t i n g e d g e o f t h e d i s c i p l i n e .

I t i s p o s s i b l e , I t h i n k , t h a t C a m b r i d g e i s t h e o n l y u n i v e r s i t y

i n t h e w o r l d t h a t w o u l d h a v e a c c e p t e d W i t t g e n s t e i n o n t h e s e

t e r m s . H a d h e b r o k e n o f f h i s e n g i n e e r i n g s t u d i e s i n o r d e r t o

s t u d y p h i l o s o p h y a t O x f o r d , V i e n n a , B e r l i n , P a r i s , H a r v a r d o r

a n y o t h e r l e a d i n g u n i v e r s i t y o f t h e t i m e , h e w o u l d h a v e f a l l e n

a t t h e f i r s t h u r d l e , m o s t l i k e l y r e j e c t e d b e c a u s e o f h i s a l m o s t

c o m p l e t e i g n o r a n c e o f t h e w o r k o f a n y p h i l o s o p h e r s o t h e r

t h a n F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l . A n d , e v e n i f h e h a d o v e r c o m e t h i s

h u r d l e , h e w o u l d h a v e b e e n o b l i g e d t o d o w h a t , i n f a c t , h e

n e v e r d i d t h r o u g h o u t h i s e n t i r e l i f e , n a m e l y s t u d y t h e w o r k s o f

t h e g r e a t p h i l o s o p h e r s o f t h e p a s t . O n l y a f t e r h e h a d s h o w n

s o m e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f P l a t o , A r i s t o d e , D e s c a r t e s , L e i b n i z ,

H u m e , e t c . w o u l d h e h a v e b e e n a l l o w e d , a s a g r a d u a t e s t u

d e n t , t o d e v o t e h i m s e l f t o h i s o w n r e s e a r c h .

A t C a m b r i d g e , t o i t s g r e a t c r e d i t , a ll t h a t w a s r e q u i r e d o f

W i t t g e n s t e i n i n o r d e r f o r h i m t o r e a c h t h i s l a s t s t a g e t h e

s t a g e a t w h i c h h e s p e n t h i s t i m e t r y i n g t o s o l v e p h i l o s o p h i c a l

p r o b l e m s r a t h e r t h a n l e a r n i n g h o w p r e v i o u s p h i l o s o p h e r s h a d

t r i e d t o s o l v e t h e m - w a s t h a t h e a r o u s e t h e i n t e r e s t a n d a d m i

r a t i o n o f B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l . T h i s h e d i d i n t h e M i c h a e l m a s

( a u t u m n ) t e r m o f 1 9 1 1 , w h e n , w i t h o u t a n y p r i o r w a r n i n g , h e

a r r i v e d a t R u s s e l l s l e c t u r e s t o h e a r h i m s p e a k a n d t o a r g u e

w i t h h i m a b o u t l o g i c . I n d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r o r n o t t o t a k e o n

t h i s e c c e n t r i c y o u n g A u s t r i a n a s a s t u d e n t , R u s s e l l d i d n o t a s k

W i t t g e n s t e i n w h a t h e k n e w a b o u t t h e w o r k s o f t h e g r e a t

p h i l o s o p h e r s o f t h e p a s t ; h e a s k e d h i m t o w r i t e s o m e t h i n g

a b o u t a p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m t h a t i n t e r e s t e d h i m . W h a t

W i t t g e n s t e i n w r o t e i s l o s t t o h i s t o r y , b u t i t w a s e n o u g h t o


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c o n v i n c e R u s s e l l t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s s e r i o u s a n d i n t e r e s t

i n g , a n d s i x m o n t h s l a t e r , h e w a s l o o k i n g t o W i t t g e n s t e i n t o

m a k e t h e n e x t b i g s t e p i n p h i l o s o p h y .

W i t t g e n s t e i n s r e v i e w o f C o f f e y s T h e S c ie n c e o f L o g i c w a s

w r i t t e n a t a t r a n s i t i o n a l s t a g e i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n h i m

a n d R u s s e l l . D u r i n g h i s f i r s t y e a r a t C a m b r i d g e , W i t t g e n s t e i n

h a d b e c o m e R u s s e l l s f a v o u r i t e s t u d e n t , t h e o n e o f w h o m h e

h a d t h e g r e a t e s t e x p e c t a t i o n s . I n 1 9 1 3 , h o w e v e r , R u s s e l l

s t o p p e d t r e a t i n g W i t t g e n s t e i n a s a s t u d e n t a l t o g e t h e r , a n d

b e g a n t o d e f e r t o h i m o n p o i n t s o f l o g i c . I n t h e s u m m e r o f

t h a t y e a r , a f e w m o n t h s a f t e r t h i s r e v i e w w a s w r i t t e n , R u s s e l l s

d e f e r e n t i a l a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s t o h a v e d e v a s

t a t i n g r e p e r c u s s i o n s o n R u s s e l l s o w n i n t e l l e c t u a l d e v e l o p m e n t ,

w h e n , a f t e r W i t t g e n s t e i n c r i t i c i z e d w i t h g r e a t s e v e r i t y a d r a f t

o f a b o o k t h a t h e w a s w o r k i n g o n , R u s s e l l b e c a m e c o n v i n c e d ,

t e m p o r a r i l y a t l e a s t , t h a t h e h a d n o t h i n g f u r t h e r t o c o n t r i b u t e

t o f u n d a m e n t a l q u e s t i o n s i n p h i l o s o p h y .

A n d y e t , f o r a l l t h a t , t h e r e v i e w , m o r e t h a n a n y t h i n g e l s e

t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n e v e r w r o t e , b e a r s t h e m a r k o f h a v i n g b e e n

w r i t t e n b y a d i s c i p l e o f R u s s e l l s . B e c a u s e o f t h e t e n s i o n s i n

t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p , b o t h i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d p e r s o n a l , t h a t d e v e l

o p e d i n s u b s e q u e n t y e a r s , i t i s c u s t o m a r y t o e m p h a s i z e t h e

d i s a g r e e m e n t s b e t w e e n W i t t g e n s t e i n a n d R u s s e l l a n d t o

f o r g e t - w h a t t h i s r e v i e w s h o w s w i t h g r e a t c l a r i t y - t h a t

W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s a t o n e t i m e n o t o n l y a n a d h e r e n t o f R u s s e l l s

i d e a s , b u t a f i e r c e l y p a r t i s a n c h a m p i o n o f t h e m . I n t h i s w a y ,

t h e r e v i e w , t h o u g h a d m i t t e d l y a s h o r t a n d s l i g h t w o r k o f n o

g r e a t s i g n i f i c a n c e i n i t s e l f , p r o v i d e s a g o o d i n t r o d u c t i o n t o

W i t t g e n s t e i n s w o r k , o n e t h a t b o t h p r o v i d e s t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l

c o n t e x t o f h i s t h i n k i n g a b o u t l o g i c a n d h e l p s o n e t o a v o i d t h e

e x e g e t i c a l m i s t a k e o f t h i n k i n g t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n s w o r k s h o u l d

a l w a y s b e s e e n i n c o n t r a s t t o R u s s e l l s w o r k . W h a t w e s e e i n


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8 LOGIC, SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

t h i s r e v i e w i s W i t t g e n s t e i n f i g h t i n g , w i t h a l l t h e c o n s i d e r a b l e

p o l e m i c a l f o r c e a t h i s d i s p o s a l , o n t h e s a m e s i d e a s R u s s e l l .

T h e t a r g e t o f W i t t g e n s t e i n s p o l e m i c , t h e u n f o r t u n a t e

P r o f e s s o r P . C o f f e y , i s a f o r g o t t e n f i g u r e , o b s c u r e d u r i n g h i s

d a y a n d n o w k n o w n f o r n o t h i n g o t h e r t h a n b e i n g t h e a u t h o r

o f a b o o k d i s t i n g u i s h e d o n l y f o r t h e e x t r e m e h o s t i l i t y w i t h

w h i c h i t w a s r e v i e w e d b y W i t t g e n s t e i n . C o f f e y w a s a n I r i s h

C a t h o l i c , w h o a n n o u n c e s h i m s e l f i n t h e p r e f a c e t o T h e S c i e n c e

o f L o g ic t o b e a d e f e n d e r o f t h e s u p e r i o r i t y o f t h e

A r i s t o t e l i a n / S c h o l a s t i c s y s t e m o f l o g i c o v e r w h a t h e c a l l s

o t h e r s y s t e m s n o w a c t u a l l y i n v o g u e * . I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t h e i s

h e r e a l l u d i n g t o t h e n e w l o g i c o f F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l , t h o u g h

i n f a c t h e n e v e r o n c e m e n t i o n s e i t h e r ( h e n c e W i t t g e n s t e i n s

a c c u s a t i o n t h a t h e h a s n o t t a k e n t h e s l i g h t e s t n o t i c e o f t h e

g r e a t w o r k o f t h e m o d e r n m a t h e m a t i c a l l o g i c i a n s ') . M o r e

l i k e l y , h e i s t h i n k i n g o f t h e v a r i o u s s y s t e m s o f l o g i c d e v e l o p e d

b y K e y n e s , V e n n , D e M o r g a n , J e v o n s , M i l l a n d W h c w e l l , a l l

o f w h o m h e d o e s d i s c u s s i n t h e c o u r s e o f h i s d e f e n c e o f t h e

A r i s t o t e l i a n s y s t e m . W h a t e v e r , a n d w h o e v e r , h e w a s d e f e n d

i n g A r i s t o t l e s l o g i c a g a i n s t , h i s d e f e n c e h a s w o n v e r y f e w

a d m i r e r s a n d e v e n f e w e r a d h e r e n t s .

I n a r e v i e w i n M i n d - t h e l e a d i n g B r i t i s h j o u r n a l o f p h i l o s

o p h y , w h i c h o n e m i g h t r e g a r d a s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e B r i t i s h

p h i l o s o p h i c a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t - C o f f e y s b o o k w a s c r i t i c i z e d

f o r b e i n g a g g r e s s i v e l y t h e o l o g i c a l , a n d , e v e n i n 1 9 1 3 , i t

w o u l d h a v e s t r u c k m o s t l o g i c i a n s a n d p h i l o s o p h e r s a s a l m o s t

q u a i n d y o l d - f a s h i o n e d . I t i s c l e a r f r o m W i t t g e n s t e i n s r e v i e w ,

h o w e v e r , t h a t h e w a s n o t e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e b o o k

i t s e l f ( o n l y a s a t y p i c a l e x a m p l e o f t h e w o r k o f m a n y l o g i c i a n s

t o d a y d o e s t h i s b o o k d e s e r v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n * ) ; w h a t i n t e r e s t s

h i m , r a t h e r , i s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y p r e s e n t e d b y t h e r e v i e w t o

s t a t e h i s c o n v i c t i o n t h a t t h e w o r k o n l o g i c d o n e b y F r e g e


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a n d R u s s e l l r e p r e s e n t s a h u g e a d v a n c e o v e r t h e t r a d i t i o n a l

A r i s t o t e l i a n s y s t e m , a n a d v a n c e c o m p a r a b l e o n l y t o t h a t

w h i c h m a d e A s t r o n o m y o u t o f A s t r o l o g y , a n d C h e m i s t r y o u t

o f A l c h e m y .

T h i s i s a v e r y l a r g e c l a i m , n o t o n l y i n i t s p r a i s e o f m o d e r n

m a t h e m a t i c a l l o g i c b u t a l s o i n i t s d e n i g r a t i o n o f A r i s t o t l e ' s

l o g i c , w h i c h i s , a f t e r a l l , u s u a l l y c o n s i d e r e d o n e o f t h e g r e a t

e s t i n t e l l e c t u a l m o n u m e n t s o f W e s t e r n c i v i l i z a t i o n . F o r o v e r

t w o t h o u s a n d y e a r s , t h e l o g i c t a u g h t a n d s t u d i e d a t a c a d e m i e s ,

u n i v e r s i t i e s a n d m o n a s t e r i e s w a s , e s s e n t i a l l y , t h a t d e v i s e d b y

A r i s t o d e . T h e o n l y c o n t r i b u t i o n t o s c i e n c e a n d c u l t u r e t h a t

c o m e s c l o s e t o i t i n t h e l o n g e v i t y o f i t s d o m i n a n c e i s E u c l i d s

s y s t e m o f g e o m e t r y , w h i c h r u l e d t h e f i e l d f r o m t h e s i x t h

c e n t u r y B C u n t i l t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f n o n - E u c l i d e a n

g e o m e t r i e s i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y . T h e

r e i g n o f A r i s t o d e s l o g i c l a s t e d s l i g h t l y l o n g e r , c o m i n g t o a n

e n d d u r i n g t h e f i r s t d e c a d e o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y - j u s t

w h e n W i t t g e n s t e i n d e c i d e d h i s f u t u r e l a y i n p h i l o s o p h y r a t h e r

t h a n i n e n g i n e e r i n g .

L i k e K i n g C a n u t e , C o f f e y , i n d e f e n d i n g A r i s t o d e s l o g i c

a g a i n s t t h e m o d e r n m a t h e m a d c a l b a r b a r i a n h o r d e s , w a s t r y i n g

t o h o l d b a c k a n i n e x o r a b l e t i d e , a t i d e t h a t h a s w i d e r c u l t u r a l

i m p l i c a t i o n s t h a n m i g h t a t f i r s t b e a p p a r e n t . C o f f e y , l i k e m o s t

e x p e r t s o n A r i s t o t l e s l o g i c , w a s n o t a s c i e n t i s t o r a m a t h e

m a t i c i a n ; h e w a s a c l a s s i c i s t , a m a n t r a i n e d i n L a d n a n d G r e e k

w i t h l i t d e o r n o s c i e n t i f i c e d u c a t i o n . T h e m e n a g a i n s t w h o m

C o f f e y w a s d e f e n d i n g A r i s t o t l e - K e y n e s , V e n n , D e M o r g a n ,

J e v o n s , M i l l a n d W h e w e l l - w e r e e i t h e r s c i e n t i s t s o r m e n

w i t h a s c i e n r i f i c e d u c a t i o n . T h e f i n a l d e m i s e o f A r i s t o t e l i a n

l o g i c m a r k s t h e p o i n t a t w h i c h l o g i c a s a d i s c i p l i n e w a s t a k e n

o u t o f t h e h a n d s o f c l a s s i c a l l y t r a i n e d s c h o l a r s a n d p u t i n t h o s e

o f m a t h e m a t i c i a n s . E v e r y s i g n i f i c a n t a d v a n c e i n l o g i c m a d e i n


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t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y w a s m a d e b y s o m e o n e w i t h a m a t h e

m a t i c a l b a c k g r o u n d , a n d y e t b e f o r e t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y

l o g i c w a s t h e p r e s e r v e o f t h e g e n d e m a n s c h o l a r s . T h e w o r s t

o f s u c h b o o k s a s t h i s i s t h a t t h e y p r e j u d i c e s e n s i b l e p e o p l e

a g a i n s t t h e s t u d y o f L o g i c , s a y s W i t t g e n s t e i n i n t h e c o n c l u

s i o n t o h i s r e v i e w W h a t h e m e a n s b y s e n s i b l e p e o p l e , I

t h i n k , i s t h o s e w i t h a s c i e n t i f i c e d u c a t i o n . H i s p o i n t i s t h a t , s o

l o n g a s p e o p l e l i k e C o f f e y c a n g e t a w a y w i t h p u b l i s h i n g b o o k s

o n T h e S c i e n c e o f L o g i c , l o g i c w i l l b e a v o i d e d b y g e n u i n e

s c i e n t i s t s .

I f o n e w a n t s t o u n d e r s t a n d w h y R u s s e l l e n c o u r a g e d W i t t g e n

s t e i n s p h i l o s o p h i c a l a m b i t i o n s e v e n t h o u g h W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s ,

f r o m a c o n v e n t i o n a l p o i n t o f v i e w , w o e f u l l y u n d e r - e d u c a t e d i n

p h i l o s o p h y , i t h e l p s t o t h i n k o f t h e w i d e r c u l t u r a l s t r u g g l e

p l a y e d o u t i n W i t t g e n s t e i n s r e v i e w o f C o f f e y . R u s s e l l h a d

b e e n , f o r s o m e t i m e b e f o r e h e m e t W i t t g e n s t e i n , a n a d v o c a t e

o f w h a t h e c a l l e d s c i e n t i f i c m e t h o d i n p h i l o s o p h y . H i s v i e w

w a s t h a t p r o g r e s s i n p h i l o s o p h y w o u l d b e m a d e b y t h e k i n d o f

e x a c t t h i n k i n g t h a t h a d d r i v e n p r o g r e s s i n m a t h e m a t i c s a n d

p h y s i c s , a n d t h a t , t h e r e f o r e , p h i l o s o p h y w o u l d d o w e l l t o

r e c r u i t s t u d e n t s w i t h s o m e m a t h e m a t i c a l a b i l i t y r a t h e r t h a n

t h o s e t r a i n e d i n t h e c l a s s i c s . W h e n h e m e t W i t t g e n s t e i n , a

m a n w i t h a s c i e n t i f i c e d u c a t i o n a n d a p a s s i o n a t e i n t e r e s t i n

m a t h e m a t i c a l l o g i c , h e t h o u g h t h e h a d d i s c o v e r e d h i s i d e a l . A s

h e p u t i t i n a l e t t e r t o h i s l o v e r . O t t o l i n e M o r r e l l :

I believe a certain sort of mathematicians have far more

philosophical capacity than most people who take up

philosophy. Hitherto the people attracted to philosophy

have been mostly those who loved the big generalizations,

which were all wrong, so that few people with exact minds

have taken up the subject. It has long been one of my


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LOGIC, SCIENCE AND BUSINESS 11

dreams to found a great school of mathematically minded

philosophers, but I don't know whether I shall ever get it

accomplished. I had hopes of Norton, but he has not the

physique, Broad is all right, but has no fundamental

originality. Wittgenstein of course is exactly my dream.

I n t h e y e a r s t o c o m e , W i t t g e n s t e i n w o u l d s u r p r i s e a n d d i s

a p p o i n t R u s s e l l b y h i s v e h e m e n t r e j e c t i o n o f w h a t R u s s e l l

c a l l e d t h e s c i e n t i f i c o u t l o o k , b u t i n 1 9 1 3 i t l o o k e d a s i f

W i t t g e n s t e i n m i g h t w e l l b e t h e a b l e l i e u t e n a n t R u s s e l l w a s

l o o k i n g f o r i n h i s c a m p a i g n t o i n j e c t s o m e s c i e n t i f i c r i g o u r

i n t o t h e s t u d y o f p h i l o s o p h y .

C e r t a i n l y , W i t t g e n s t e i n s h o w s C o f f e y - a n d t h e e n t i r e

s c h o l a r l y t r a d i t i o n h e s e e k s t o d e f e n d - n o m e r c y i n t h i s

e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y v i t r i o l i c , s e l f - c o n f i d e n t a n d d i d a c t i c r e v i e w .

I n p l a c e o f a c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e m e r i t s a n d d e m e r i t s

o f C o f f e y s b o o k , W i t t g e n s t e i n p r e s e n t s C o f f e y a s r e p r e s e n t a

t i v e o f a n i n t e l l e c t u a l l y l a z y a n d o u t m o d e d a p p r o a c h t o l o g i c ,

o n e t h a t f e e l s a b l e , i n t h e n a m e o f A r i s t o t l e , t o d i s r e g a r d t h e

r e s u l t s o f h o n e s t r e s e a r c h a n d , c o n s e q u e n t l y , t o r e p e a t w h a t

t h e g r e a t w o r k o f t h e m o d e r n m a t h e m a t i c a l l o g i c i a n s h a d

s h o w n w e r e g r a v e m i s t a k e s .

A l l s i x o f t h e m i s t a k e s w h i c h W i t t g e n s t e i n a c c u s e s C o f f e y

o f m a k i n g i n v o l v e i g n o r i n g a s p e c t s o f t h e w o r k o f F r e g e a n d

R u s s e l l . T h e f i r s t o n e ( T h e a u t h o r b e l i e v e s t h a t a l l p r o p o s i

t i o n s a r e o f t h e s u b j e c t - p r e d i c a t e f o r m * ) r a i s e s a n i s s u e t h a t

h a d , f o r a l o n g t i m e , b e e n c l o s e t o R u s s e l l s h e a r t . A t t h e

v e r y b e g i n n i n g o f h i s 1 9 0 0 b o o k o n L e i b n i z , R u s s e l l h a d

a n n o u n c e d : T h a t a l l s o u n d p h i l o s o p h y s h o u l d b e g i n w i t h a n

a n a l y s i s o f p r o p o s i t i o n s i s a t r u t h t o o e v i d e n t , p e r h a p s , t o

d e m a n d a p r o o f . R u s s e l l s t h e m e t h r o u g h o u t t h e b o o k i s t h a t

L e i b n i z s m i s t a k e n v i e w s a b o u t m e t a p h y s i c s c a n b e t r a c e d t o a


19/122


m i s t a k e n a s s u m p t i o n a b o u t p r o p o s i t i o n s , n a m e l y t h e v e r y o n e

o f w h i c h W i t t g e n s t e i n a c c u s e s C o f f e y : t h a t e v e r y p r o p o s i t i o n

h a s a s u b j e c t a n d a p r e d i c a t e . T h e a s s u m p t i o n t h a t a l l p r o p o

s i t i o n s a r e o f t h e s u b j e c t - p r e d i c a t e f o r m l e a d s , R u s s e l l

t h o u g h t , t o t h e b e l i e f t h a t a l l t r u th s a r e o f t h a t f o r m , w h i c h , i n

t u r n , l e a d s o n e t o i m a g i n e t h e w o r l d a s c o n s i s t i n g o f o n l y t w o

k i n d s o f t h i n g : o b j e c t s ( w h i c h c o r r e s p o n d t o s u b j e c t s ) a n d

p r o p e r t i e s ( w h i c h c o r r e s p o n d t o p r e d i c a t e s ) .

I t w a s o f e n o r m o u s p h i l o s o p h i c a l i m p o r t a n c e , R u s s e l l

b e l i e v e d , t o a c k n o w l e d g e t h a t , a s w e l l a s o b j e c t s a n d p r o p e r

t i e s , t h e w o r l d c o n t a i n e d r e l a t i o n s . P r o p o s i t i o n s s u c h a s J o h n

i s t a l l e r t h a n h i s f a t h e r a n d F o u r i s t h e s q u a r e r o o t o f s i x t e e n

m u s t b e u n d e r s t o o d , n o t a s t h e p r e d i c a t i o n o f a p r o p e r t y t o a n

o b j e c t , b u t a s t h e a s s e r t i o n o f a r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n t w o o b j e c t s .

B u t , t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e m a s s u c h r e q u i r e s o n e t o b r e a k o u t o f

t h e s u b j e c t - p r e d i c a t e s t r a i t j a c k e t i m p o s e d u p o n p r o p o s i t i o n s

b y A r i s t o t e l i a n l o g i c . T h e l o g i c o f F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l , w h i c h

t r e a t s p r o p o s i t i o n s z s f o n c t i o n s , a c h i e v e s t h i s b r e a k t h r o u g h . T h e

w o r d f u n c t i o n h e r e i s u s e d w i t h a c o n s c i o u s a l l u s i o n t o i t s

o r i g i n s i n m a t h e m a t i c s . T h u s , j u s t a s t h e m a t h e m a t i c a l f u n c

t i o n X 2 h a s t h e v a l u e 1 6 w h e n x = 4 , a n d 2 5 w h e n x = 5 , s o

t h e p r o p o s i t i o n a l f u n c t i o n x i s t a l l e r t h a n y h a s t h e t r u t h v a l u e

t r u e w h e n x = J o h n a n d y = h i s f a t h e r a n d f a l s e w h e n x = h i s

f a t h e r a n d y = J o h n .

R e l a t e d t o t h e n o t i o n o f a p r o p o s i t i o n a l f u n c t i o n i s t h e

n o t i o n - c e n t r a l t o t h e l o g i c d e v e l o p e d b y F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l -

o f a c la s s . A c la s s is t h e e x t e n s i o n o f a p r o p o s i t i o n a l f u n c t i o n :

i . e . , i t i s t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h i n g s t h a t , w h e n g i v e n a s t h e

v a l u e ( s ) o f t h e v a r i a b l e ( s ) i n t h e f u n c t i o n , r e s u l t i n a t r u e

p r o p o s i t i o n . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e f u n c t i o n x i s a m a n h a s , a s i t s

e x t e n s i o n , t h e c la s s o f m e n . T h e m i s t a k e s I V , V a n d V I t h a t

W i t t g e n s t e i n a c c u s e s C o f f e y o f m a k i n g a l l i n v o l v e m i s u n d e r -


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LOGIC, SCIENCE AND BUSINESS 13

S t a n d i n g t h e n o t i o n o f c l a s s a s t h a t n o t i o n w a s u s e d i n t h e

l o g i c o f F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l . O f t h e o t h e r s , I I i s a m i s t a k e o n l y

i f t h e k i n d o f p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e a l i s m e s p o u s e d b y F r e g e a n d

R u s s e l l h a p p e n s t o b e t r u e , a n d I I I ( t h e c o n f u s i o n b e t w e e n

t h e t w o u s e s o f t h e w o r d is * ) r a i s e s a g a i n a p o i n t c l o s e t o

R u s s e l l s p h i l o s o p h i c a l h e a r t a n d o n e t h a t h e r e p e a t e d l y

i n v o k e d i n a r g u i n g f o r t h e s u p e r i o r i t y o f m o d e r n m a t h e m a t

i c a l l o g i c o v e r t h e l o g i c o f A r i s t o t l e .

A l l i n a l l , t h e n , t h e r e v i e w s h o w s W i t t g e n s t e i n a t t h e v e r y

b e g i n n i n g o f h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l c a r e e r t o b e a p a r t i c u l a r l y b e l

l i g e r e n t a n d p a r t i s a n c h a m p i o n o f t h e l o g i c o f F r e g e a n d

R u s s e l l . I t a l s o r e f l e c t s v i e w s a b o u t p h i l o s o p h y t h a t r e m a i n e d

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f W i t t g e n s t e i n s w o r k t h r o u g h o u t h i s l i f e .

I n t h e f i r s t p l a c e , i t s h o w s t h a t , l i k e F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l b e f o r e

h i m , h e t o o k l o g i c t o l i e a t t h e v e r y h e a r t o f p h i l o s o p h y .

I n d e e d , f o r h i m , p h i l o s o p h y s i m p l y w a s t h e a t t e m p t t o u n d e r

s t a n d l o g i c . S e c o n d l y , i t s h o w s h o w s e r i o u s l y W i t t g e n s t e i n

t o o k t h e v i e w t h a t t h e w o r k o f F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l s u p e r s e d e d

p r e v i o u s w o r k i n l o g i c ( a n d t h e r e f o r e i n p h i l o s o p h y ) , t o t h e

e x t e n t t h a t t h i s p r e v i o u s w o r k w a s s i m p l y n o t w o r t h r e a d i n g

a n d c o n s i d e r i n g . W i t t g e n s t e i n o f t e n r e v e a l e d ( o r p e r h a p s

b o a s t e d i s t h e w o r d ) t o f r i e n d s t h a t h e h a d n e v e r r e a d a w o r d

o f A r i s t o d e . E v i d e n d y , h e f e l t t h a t h e d i d n o t n e e d t o . I f t h e

w o r k o f F r e g e a n d R u s s e l l h a d i n d e e d b r o u g h t a b o u t a n

a d v a n c e i n L o g i c c o m p a r a b l e t o t h a t w h i c h m a d e A s t r o n o m y

o u t o f A s t r o l o g y , a n d C h e m i s t r y o u t o f A l c h e m y , t h e n

A r i s t o d e s w o r k - l i k e t h a t o f , s a y , D e s c a r t e s , L e i b n i z , S p i n o z a ,

L o c k e , H u m e , H e g e l a n d M i l l ( n o n e o f w h i c h W i t t g e n s t e i n

e v e r r e a d ) - w a s a s o b s o l e t e a s t h e w o r k s o f t h e m e d i a e v a l

a l c h e m i s t s .

I n l a t e r l i f e , W i t t g e n s t e i n r e l a x e d t h i s a t t i t u d e s o m e w h a t ,

a n d r e a d w i t h e v i d e n t c a r e a n d a t t e n t i o n t h e w o r k o f , f o r


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14 LOGIC. SCIENCE AND BUSINESS

e x a m p l e , P l a t o a n d K a n t , b u t i t r e m a i n s t r u e t h a t n o g r e a t

p h i l o s o p h e r h a s e v e r b e e n s o i g n o r a n t o f t h e h i s t o r y o f h i s

s u b j e c t a s W i t t g e n s t e i n w a s . H e d i d n o t h a v e t h e k i n d o f e d u

c a t i o n i n p h i l o s o p h y t h a t a l m o s t a l l o t h e r p h i l o s o p h e r s h a v e

h a d a n d t h a t m a n y c o n s i d e r t o b e a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r h a v i n g

a n y t h i n g i n t e r e s t i n g t o s a y o n t h e s u b j e c t . R i g h t f r o m t h e v e r y

s t a r t , W i t t g e n s t e i n s a t t i t u d e t o p h i l o s o p h y w a s v e r y d i f f e r e n t

f r o m t h a t w h i c h p r e v a i l s a m o n g p r o f e s s i o n a l p h i l o s o p h e r s i n

a c a d e m i c i n s t i t u t i o n s . H e d i d n o t t h i n k o f p h i l o s o p h y p r i m a r i l y

a s a n a c a d e m i c s u b j e c t , s t i l l l e s s a s a p r o f e s s i o n . F o r h i m , p h i l o s

o p h y w a s t h e a c t i v i t y o f s o l v i n g p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s . H e

u s e d t o s a y t h a t , j u s t a s h i s f a t h e r h a d b e e n a b u s i n e s s m a n , s o h e

t o o k a b u s i n e s s l i k e a t t i t u d e t o p h i l o s o p h y . H e w a n t e d t o c le a r

u p p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s , l i k e a b u s i n e s s m a n c l e a r s h i s d e s k .


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C L E A R IN G U P P H IL O S O P H Y IN T H R E E W O R D S

This book will perhaps only be understood by those who

have themselves already thought the thoughts which are

expressed in it - or similar thoughts. It is therefore not a

text-book. Its object would be attained if it afforded pleas

ure to one who read it with understanding.

The book deals with the problems of philosophy andshows, I believe, that the method of formulating these

problems rests on the misunderstanding of the logic of our

language. Its whole meaning could be summed up some

what as follows: What can be said at all can be said clearly;

and whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent.

The book will, therefore, draw a limit to thinking, or

rather - not to thinking, but to the expression of thoughts;

for in order to draw a limit to thinking we should have to be

able to think both sides of this limit (we should therefore

have to be able to think what cannot be thought).

The limit can, therefore, only be drawn in language and

what lies on the other side of the limit will be simply non

sense.How far my efforts agree with those of other philosophers


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16 CLEARING UP PHILOSOPHY IN THREE WORDS

I will not decide. Indeed what I have here written makes no

claim to novelty in points of detail; and therefore I give no

sources, because it is indifferent to me whether what I have

thought has already been thought before me by another.

I will only mention that to the great works of Frege and

the writings of my friend Bertrand Russell I owe in large

measure the stimulation of my thoughts.

If this work has a value it consists in two things. First

that in it thoughts are expressed, and this value will be the

greater the better the thoughts are expressed. The more thenail has been hit on the head. Here I am conscious that

I have fallen far short of the possible. Simply because my

powers are insufficient to cope with the task. May others

come and do it better.

On the other hand the truthof the thoughts communi

cated here seems to me unassailable and definitive. I am,

therefore, of the opinion that the problems have in essen

tials been finally solved. And if I am not mistaken in this,

then the value of this work secondly consists in the fact

that it shows how little has been done when these prob

lems have been solved.

Preface to Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, 1921

I n 1 9 2 1 , e i g h t y e a r s a f t e r p u b l i s h i n g h i s r e v i e w o f C o f f e y s The

Science of Logic,W i t t g e n s t e i n p u b l i s h e d h i s f i r s t a n d o n l y b o o k .

A s t h e p r e f a c e m a k e s c l e a r , i t w a s s u p p o s e d t o b e t h e l a s t

w o r d o n p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s , t o b r i n g p h i l o s o p h y t o a n

e n d . ( A n d , s u r e e n o u g h , w h e n h e h a d f i n i s h e d t h e b o o k ,

W i t t g e n s t e i n g a v e u p p h i l o s o p h y , r e t u r n i n g t o i t o n l y w h e n ,

s i x y e a r s a f t e r t h e T r a c t a t u s w a s p u b l i s h e d , h e b e c a m e c o n v i n c e d

t h a t i t w a s n o t , a f t e r a l l , t h e f i n a l w o r d o n t h e s u b j e c t . )

R u s s e l l h a d d r e a m e d o f f o u n d i n g a s c h o o l o f p h i l o s o p h e r s


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CLEARING UP PHILOSOPHY IN THREE WORDS 17

t r a i n e d i n m a t h e m a t i c s w h o s e e x a c t m i n d s w o u l d r e s i s t t h e

t e m p t a t i o n s o f t h e b i g g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s , a l l o f w h i c h w e r e f a l s e .

W h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n t h e m a n R u s s e l l r e g a r d e d a s t h e e m b o d

i m e n t o f t h a t d r e a m h a d p r o d u c e d w a s a b o o k t h a t s o u g h t t o

a v o i d , n o t o n l y t h e b i g g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s , b u t a r ty a n s w e r s t o

p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s a s t h e y h a v e t r a d i t i o n a l l y b e e n r a i s e d .

P h i l o s o p h y w o u l d b e c l e a r e d u p , i t s p r o b l e m s s o l v e d o n c e a n d

f o r a l l , n o t b y p r o v i d i n g n e w a n s w e r s t o o l d q u e s t i o n s b u t b y

s h o w i n g t h a t t h o s e o l d q u e s t i o n s w e r e i l l - f o r m e d a n d a r o s e

f r o m n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n t h e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e l o g i c o f

o u r l a n g u a g e .

R u s s e l l h a d s h o w n - o r a t t e m p t e d t o s h o w - t h a t L e i b n i z s

m e t a p h y s i c a l v i e w s r e s t e d u p o n a m i s t a k e n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f

t h e n a t u r e o f p r o p o s i t i o n s ; W i t t g e n s t e i n w a n t e d t o s h o w t h a t

a l l p h i l o s o p h i c a l v i e w s r e s t e d u p o n a m i s t a k e n u n d e r s t a n d i n g

o f t h e n a t u r e o f p r o p o s i t i o n s . I n d e e d , t h e v e r y q u e s t i o n s t h a t

p h i l o s o p h e r s a s k e d r e s t e d u p o n s u c h m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s . T o

a t t e m p t t o a n s w e r a p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s t i o n w a s a l r e a d y t o

m a k e a g r a v e m i s t a k e , o f t h e k i n d t h a t C o f f e y m a d e i n

d e f e n d i n g A r i s t o t e l i a n l o g i c . W h a t w a s r e q u i r e d w a s a c o r r e c t

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e l o g i c o f o u r l a n g u a g e . O n c e o n e h a d

t h a t , p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s t i o n s w o u l d n o t a r i s e , f o r o n e w o u l d

b e a b l e t o s e e t h a t a n y t e m p t a t i o n t o a s k , l e t a l o n e t o a n s w e r ,

a p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s t i o n a r o s e f r o m a c o n f u s i o n a b o u t t h e

l o g i c o f o u r l a n g u a g e . A l i n e w o u l d b e d r a w n b e t w e e n w h a t

w a s t h i n k a b l e a n d w h a t w a s n o t , b e t w e e n s e n s e a n d n o n

s e n s e , a n d t h e w h o l e o f p h i l o s o p h y a s t r a d i t i o n a l l y c o n c e i v e d

w o u l d b e s e e n t o l i e o n t h e w r o n g s i d e o f t h a t l i n e . I n t h i s

w a y , t h e b i g g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s w o u l d b e s h o w n t o b e n o t

f a l s e , b u t n o n s e n s i c a l .

B u t w a i t . I s n t t h e v i e w t h a t a l l p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m s r e s t

u p o n a m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e l o g i c o f o u r l a n g u a g e i t s e l fa b i g


25/122


g e n e r a l i z a t i o n ? A n d s o m u s t w e r e g a r d t h a t a s n o n s e n s e ?

W i t t g e n s t e i n a l l u d e s t o t h i s p r o b l e m i n t h e p r e f a c e w h e n h e s a y s :

The book will, therefore, draw a limit to thinking, or

rather - not to thinking, but to the expression of thoughts;

for in order to draw a limit to thinking we should have to be

able to think both sides of this limit (we should therefore

have to be able to think what cannot be thought).

The limit can, therefore, only be drawn in language and

what lies on the other side of the limit will be simply nonsense.

B u t t h i s w a y o f p u t t i n g t h e p r o b l e m s i m p l y a v o i d s t h e d i f f i

c u l t y . H e a d m i t s t h a t t o d r a w a l i m i t t o t h i n k i n g w e s h o u l d

h a v e t o p r e t e n d t o t h i n k b o t h s i d e s o f t h e l i m i t a n d t h u s p r e

t e n d t o b e a b l e t o t h i n k w h a t c a n n o t b e t h o u g h t , b u t h e

a p p e a r s t o d e n y t h a t t h e s a m e t h i n g a p p l i e s t o t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f

t h o u g h t s . I f w e d r a w a l i m i t i n l a n g u a g e t o w h a t c a n b e

e x p r e s s e d a n d t h u s d r a w a l i n e b e t w e e n s e n s e a n d n o n s e n s e ,

w h a t s i d e o f t h e l i m i t d o e s o u r l i n e - t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f t h a t

l i m i t - b e l o n g t o ? J u s t a s , b e f o r e , w e h a d t o t h i n k w h a t c a n n o t

b e t h o u g h t , d o w e n o t n o w h a v e t o e x p r e s s w h a t c a n n o t b e

e x p r e s s e d ?

I n t h e b o d y o f t h e b o o k , W i t t g e n s t e i n d e a l s d i r e c t l y w i t h t h i s

p r o b l e m a n d d r a w s a s u r p r i s i n g c o n c l u s i o n : t h a t t h e b o o k i s a n

a t t e m p t t o e x p r e s s w h a t c a n n o t b e e x p r e s s e d , a n d , t h e r e f o r e ,

n o n s e n s e :

My propositions serve as elucidations in the following way:

anyone who understands me eventually recognizes them as

nonsensical, when he has used them - as steps - to climb

up beyond them. (He must, so to speak, throw away the


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ladder after he has climbed up it.) He must transcend these

propositions, and then he will see the world aright.

T h u s , t h e v i e w p u t f o r w a r d i n T r a c t a tu s L o g i c o - P h i l o s o p h i c u s

a p p e a r s t o b e t h a t a l l p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o p o s i t i o n s a r e n o n s e n s i

c a l - i n c l u d i n g t h e o n e s i n T r a c t a t u s L o g i c o - P h i lo s o p h i c u s . O n e

i s r e m i n d e d o f t h e f i r s t l i n e o f t h e T a o T e C h i n g y w h i c h s a y s :

T h e T a o t h a t c a n b e e x p r e s s e d i s n o t t h e e t e r n a l T a o .

F o r B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l , i t c a m e a s s o m e t h i n g o f a s h o c k a n d

a d i s a p p o i n t m e n t t o d i s c o v e r t h a t , w h e n h i s f a v o u r i t e s t u

d e n t , t h e v e r y p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f h i s d r e a m o f s c i e n t i f i c a l l y

m i n d e d p h i l o s o p h e r s , f i n a l l y p r o d u c e d a b o o k , i t h a d a t i t s v e r y

h e a r t a m y s t i c a l p a r a d o x . I n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t h a t h e w r o t e

t o t h e b o o k , R u s s e l l w a s f u l s o m e i n h i s p r a i s e o f t h e b o o k s

a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d o f i t s s i g n i f i c a n c e . H o w e v e r , w h e n h e c a m e

t o d i s c u s s W i t t g e n s t e i n s a p p a r e n t v i e w t h a t t h e t r u t h s o f l o g i c

a n d p h i l o s o p h y ( e v e n t h o s e t h a t w e r e u n a s s a i l a b l e a n d d e f i n i

t i v e ) a r e i n e x p r e s s i b l e , h e d e m u r r e d . W h a t c a u s e s h e s i t a t i o n ,

R u s s e l l w r o t e , i s t h e f a c t t h a t , a f t e r a ll , M r W i t t g e n s t e i n m a n a g e s

t o s a y a g o o d d e a l a b o u t w h a t c a n n o t b e s a i d .

W h e n R u s s e l l f i r s t r e a d t h e b o o k , t w o y e a r s b e f o r e i t w a s

p u b l i s h e d , h e s e n t W i t t g e n s t e i n s o m e q u e s t i o n s a b o u t i t .

S o m e w h a t r e l u c t a n t l y , W i t t g e n s t e i n a n s w e r e d R u s s e l l s q u e s

t i o n s , b u t w h a t h e w a s m o s t c o n c e r n e d t o e m p h a s i z e t o

R u s s e l l w a s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n s a y i n g

a n d s h o w i n g :

Now Im afraid you havent really got hold of my main

contention, to which the whole business of logical propfosi-

tionls is only a corollary. The main point is the theory of

what can be expressed (gesagt) by propositionJs - i.e., by

language - (and, which comes to the same, what can be


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thought) and what cannot be expressed by prop[osition]s,

but only shown (gezeigt); which, I believe, is the cardinal

problem of philosophy.

I n t h e T r a c t a t u s i t s e l f , W i t t g e n s t e i n s a y s : W h a t c a n b e s h o w n ,

c a n n o t b e s a i d . '

D o e s t h i s m e a n t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n t h o u g h t t h a t t h e u n a s

s a i l a b l e a n d d e f i n i t i v e t r u t h s t h a t h e c l a i m s i n t h e p r e f a c e t o

b e c o m m u n i c a t e d i n t h e b o o k a r e c o m m u n i c a t e d b y b e i n g

s h o w n r a t h e r t h a n s a i d ? T h i s i s h o w R u s s e l l i n t e r p r e t e d h i m .

I n h i s i n t r o d u c t i o n , h e s a y s :

The whole subject of ethics, for example, is placed by

Mr Wittgenstein in the mystical, inexpressible region. Never

theless he is capable of conveying his ethical opinions.

His defence would be that what he calls the mystical can

be shown, although it cannot be said. It may be that this

defence is adequate, but, for my part, I confess that it leaves

me with a certain sense of intellectual discomfort.

F r a n k R a m s e y , t h e y o u n g C a m b r i d g e p h i l o s o p h e r w h o h a d a

h a n d i n t h e t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e T r a c t a t u s a n d w a s o n e o f i t s m o s t

p e r c e p t i v e a n d e n t h u s i a s t i c a d m i r e r s , p u t i t m o r e b l u n t l y .

W h a t c a n t b e s a i d , c a n t b e s a id , R a m s e y o n c e r e m a r k e d ,

a n d i t c a n t b e w h i s d e d e i t h e r .

M o r e r e c e n d y , s t r o n g d o u b t s h a v e b e e n r a i s e d b y i n t e r

p r e t e r s o f W i t t g e n s t e i n a b o u t w h e t h e r h e w a s t r y i n g t o

w h i s d e i t , t r y i n g t o s h o w p h i l o s o p h i c a l t r u t h s r a t h e r t h a n t o

s t a t e t h e m . J a m e s C o n a n t a n d C o r a D i a m o n d , t w o l e a d i n g

W i t t g e n s t e i n s c h o l a r s , h a v e d e v e l o p e d a r e a d i n g o f t h e T r a c t a t u s

t h a t t r i e s t o f r e e i t f r o m t h e p a r a d o x t h a t t r o u b l e d R u s s e l l a n d

R a m s e y . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e m , t h e r e i s n o w a y t h a t o n e c a n


28/122


m a k e s e n s e o f t h e b o o k i f o n e i n t e r p r e t s W i t t g e n s t e i n a s b e l i e v

i n g t h a t i t s p r o p o s i t i o n s 1 . e x p r e s s u n a s s a i l a b l e a n d d e f i n i t i v e

t r u t h s a n d 2 . a r e n o n s e n s i c a l . S u r e l y , t h e y a r g u e , a n o n s e n s i c a l

p r o p o s i t i o n l a c k s a n y m e a n i n g , s o i t c a n n o t p o s s i b l y e x p r e s s a

t r u t h , u n a s s a i l a b l e o r o t h e r w i s e . N o n s e n s e , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e m ,

c a n n e i t h e r s a y n o r s h o w a n y t h i n g . T h e y b e l i e v e t h a t t h e

p r o p o s i t i o n s i n t h e T r a c ta t u s t h a t l o o k a s i f t h e y a r e t r y i n g t o

e x p r e s s p h i l o s o p h i c a l t r u t h s a r e i n d e e d - a n d w e r e i n t e n d e d

b y W i t t g e n s t e i n t o b e s i m p l y n o n s e n s i c a l . A n d , t h e r e f o r e ,

C o n a n t a n d D i a m o n d b e l i e v e , t h e s e p r o p o s i t i o n s d o n o t s a y

a n y t h i n g , a n d n e i t h e r d o t h e y s h o w a n y t h i n g .

H o w e v e r , t h e b o o k , o n t h e i r r e a d i n g , s t i l l m a n a g e s t o c o m

m u n i c a t e a n u n a s s a i l a b l e a n d d e f i n i t i v e t r u t h a b o u t p h i l o s o p h y -

v i z . , t h a t a n y a t t e m p t t o s a y s o m e t h i n g p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e s u l t s i n

n o n s e n s e . I t d o c s t h i s b y g e t t i n g t h e r e a d e r t o s e e t h a t i t s o w n

p r o p o s i t i o n s a r e n o n s e n s e a n d t h a t t h e y a r e n o n s e n s e b e c a u s e

t h e y t r y t o s a y s o m e t h i n g p h i l o s o p h i c a l . T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n

o f f e r s a n i n g e n i o u s w a y r o u n d t h e p a r a d o x t h a t l i e s a t t h e

h e a r t o f t h e s t a n d a r d r e a d i n g o f t h e b o o k . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , i t

i s e x t r e m e l y h a r d t o s q u a r e i t w i t h t h e t e x t o f t h e b o o k i t s e l f

a n d w i t h o t h e r t h i n g s t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n s a i d a n d w r o t e a r o u n d

t h e t i m e t h a t h e w r o t e t h e b o o k , t h i n g s t h a t s e e m t o d e m o n

s t r a t e t h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n d i d i n d e e d b e l i e v e t h a t o n e c o u l d

s h o w d e e p t r u t h s , e i t h e r b y r e m a i n i n g s i l e n t a b o u t t h e m o r b y

s a y i n g t h i n g s t h a t , s t r i c t l y s p e a k i n g , w e r e n o n s e n s i c a l .

T o w a r d s t h e e n d o f T r a c ta tu s L o g ic o -M i l o s o p h i c u s , W i t t g e n s t e i n

s a y s : T h e r e i s i n d e e d t h e i n e x p r e s s i b l e . T h i s s h o w s i t s e l f ; i t i s t h e

m y s t i c a l . A m o n g t h o s e t h i n g ? t h a t s h o w t h e m s e l v e s a r e e t h i c s ,

a e s t h e t i c s , r e l i g i o n , t h e m e a n i n g o f l i f e , l o g i c a n d p h i l o s o p h y .

I n a l l t h e s e a r e a s , W i t t g e n s t e i n a p p e a r s t o b e l ie v e , t h e r e a r e i n d e e d

t r u t h s , b u t n o n e o f t h e s e t r u t h s c a n b e e x p r e s s e d i n l a n g u a g e ;

t h e y a l l h a v e t o b e s h o w n , n o t s a i d .


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T h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n w h a t c a n b e s a i d a n d w h a t c a n

o n l y b e s h o w n - w h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n , i n h i s l e t t e r t o R u s s e l l ,

c a l l s t h e m a i n p o i n t o f h i s b o o k a n d t h e c a r d i n a l p r o b l e m o f

p h i l o s o p h y w a s 6 r s t m a d e i n w r i t i n g b y W i t t g e n s t e i n i n

s o m e n o t e s o n l o g i c t h a t h e d i c t a t e d t o M o o r e i n t h e s p r i n g

o f 1 9 1 4 . A t t h a t t i m e , h o w e v e r , i t w a s a p p l i e d o n l y t o l o g i c ,

n o t t o e t h i c s , a e s t h e t i c s , r e l i g i o n a n d t h e m e a n i n g o f l i f e . S o

w h a t W i t t g e n s t e i n d e s c r i b e s t o R u s s e l l a s o n l y a c o r o l l a r y t o

h i s m a i n p o i n t w a s , i n f a c t , t h e o r i g i n o f t h e d i s t i n c t i o n . T h e

e x t e n s i o n o f t h e d i s t i n c t i o n t o t h e s e o t h e r a r e a s o c c u r r e d t o

W i t t g e n s t e i n a b o u t t w o y e a r s l a t e r , w h e n , w h i l e h g h t i n g f o r

t h e A u s t r i a n a r m y o n t h e R u s s i a n F r o n t , h e c o n t i n u e d t o

w o r k o n h i s b o o k .

W i t t g e n s t e i n s c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e b o o k h e w a s w r i t i n g

c h a n g e d c o n s i d e r a b l y d u r i n g t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r . B e f o r e

t h e w a r , h e c o n s i d e r e d h i m s e l f t o b e p r e p a r i n g a w o r k o n

l o g i c ; a f t e r i t , h e c o n s i d e r e d h i m s e l f t o h a v e w r i t t e n a

b o o k , t h e c e n t r a l p o i n t o f w h i c h w a s f u n d a m e n t a l l y e t h i c a l .

I n a l e t t e r t o a p r o s p e c t i v e p u b l i s h e r , L u d w i g v o n F i c k e r ,

W i t t g e n s t e i n w a r n e d t h a t t h e b o o k w a s d i f f i c u l t t o u n d e r

s t a n d a n d t h a t v o n F i c k e r w o u l d m o s t p r o b a b l y n o t

u n d e r s t a n d i t b e c a u s e t h e c o n t e n t w i l l b e s t r a n g e t o y o u .

B u t , h e a d d e d :

In reality, it isnt strange to you, for the point of the book is

ethical. I once wanted to give a few words in the foreword

which now are actually not in it, which, however, I'll write

to you now because they might be a key for you: I wanted

to write that my work consists of two parts: of the one

which is here, and of everything which I have notwritten.

And precisely this second part is the important one. For the

Ethical is delimited from within, as it were, by my book;


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and Im convinced that, strictlyspeaking, it can ONLY be

delimited in this way. In brief, I think: All of that which

manyare babblingtoday, I have defined in my book byremaining silent about it. Therefore the book will, unless

Im quite wrong, have much to say which you want to say

yourself, but perhaps you won't notice that it is said in it.

For the time being, Id recommend that you read the fore

word and the conclusion since these express the point

most directly.

T h i s s e e m s t o c o n n e c t w i t h W i t t g e n s t e i n s r e m a r k s t o

R u s s e l l a b o u t t h e m a i n p o i n t o f t h e b o o k . I t s m a i n p o i n t

i s t o a n s w e r t h e c a r d i n a l p r o b l e m o f p h i l o s o p h y , i . e . , t h e

q u e s t i o n o f w h e r e t h e l i m i t s o f e x p r e s s i b i l i t y l i e . I n g i v i n g

w h a t h e t h o u g h t w a s a d e f i n i t i v e l y a n d u n a s s a i l a b l y t r u e

a n s w e r t o t h a t q u e s t i o n , W i t t g e n s t e i n c o n s i d e r e d h i m s e l f

t o h a v e c l e a r e d u p a l l p r o b l e m s o f p h i l o s o p h y , a n d , i n p a r t i c

u l a r , t o h a v e d e f i n e d t h e r e a l m o f t h e e t h i c a l . I n b o t h l o g i c

a n d e t h i c s , t h e c e n t r a l p o i n t i s t h e s a m e a n d c a n b e s u m m e d

u p i n t h e s e n t e n c e t h a t o c c u r s t w i c e i n t h e b o o k , o n c e i n t h e

p r e f a c e a n d a g a i n a s t h e f i n a l s e n t e n c e : W h e r e o f o n e c a n n o t

s p e a k t h e r e o f o n e m u s t b e s i l e n t .

I n i t s f i n a l f o r m , t h e n , T r a c ta tu s L o g ic o - P h il o s o p h ic u s i s a c u r i

o u s h y b r i d o f a b o o k , a t r e a t i s e o n l o g i c a n d t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f

a d e e p l y m y s t i c a l p o i n t o f v i e w . A t t h e e n d o f 1 9 1 9 , R u s s e l l ,

w h o h a d n o t s e e n W i t t g e n s t e i n f o r s i x y e a r s , s p e n t a w e e k i n

H o l l a n d w i t h h i m i n o r d e r t o g o t h r o u g h t h e T r a c t a t u s l i n e b y

l i n e . H e w a s s h o c k e d a t t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i n h i s d r e a m s t u

d e n t b r o u g h t a b o u t b y h i s e x p e r i e n c e s i n t h e w a r . I h a d f e l t

i n h i s b o o k . a f l a v o u r o f m y s t i c i s m , h e w r o t e t o O t t o l i n e

M o r r e l l :


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. . . but was astonished when I found he has become a

complete mystic. He reads people like Kierkegaard and

Angelus Silesius, and he seriously contemplates becoming

a monk. It all started from William Jamess Varieties of

Religious Experience, and grew (not unnaturally) during

the winter he spent alone in Norway before the war, when

he was nearly mad. Then during the war a curious thing

happened. He went on duty to the town of Tarnov in

Galicia, and happened to come upon a bookshop, which,

however, seemed to contain nothing but picture postcards.However, he went inside and found that it contained just

one book: Tolstoy on the Gospels. He bought it merely

because there was no other. He read it and re-read it, and

thenceforth had it always with him, under fire and at all

times. But on the whole he likes Tolstoy less than

Dostoewski (especially Karamazov). He has penetrated

deep into mystical ways of thought and feeling, but I think

(though he wouldnt agree) that what he likes best in mys

ticism is its power to make him stop thinking.

D u r i n g t h e w a r , a t t h e v e r y t i m e t h a t h i s w o r k w a s b r o a d

e n i n g o u t f r o m l o g i c t o e t h i c s , r e l i g i o n a n d t h e m e a n i n g o f

l i f e , W i t t g e n s t e i n m a d e a c l o s e f r i e n d w h o w a s a s s y m p a

t h e t i c t o a n d e n t h u s i a s t i c a b o u t W i t t g e n s t e i n s m y s t i c i s m

a s R u s s e l l h a d b e e n e a r l i e r a b o u t h i s l o g i c . H i s n a m e w a s

P a u l E n g e l m a n n . A f t e r W i t t g e n s t e i n s d e a t h , E n g e l m a n n

p u b l i s h e d h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h W i t t g e n s t e i n , t o g e t h e r

w i t h a m e m o i r . H i s m o t i v e i n p u b l i s h i n g t h e s e t h i n g s w a s t o

e n c o u r a g e a r e a d i n g o f t h e T r a c t a t u s t h a t g a v e a s m u c h , o r

m o r e , w e i g h t t o i t s m y s t i c i s m a s t o i t s t h e o r y o f l o g i c . A b o u t

R u s s e l l s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e b o o k , E n g e l m a n n w r o t e : [ I t ]

m a y b e c o n s i d e r e d o n e o f t h e m a i n r e a s o n s w h y t h e b o o k ,


32/122


t h o u g h r e c o g n i z e d t o t h i s d a y a s a n e v e n t o f d e c i s i v e i m p o r

t a n c e i n t h e f i e l d o f l o g i c , h a s f a i l e d t o m a k e i t s e l f u n d e r s t o o d

a s a p h i l o s o p h i c a l w o r k i n t h e w i d e r s e n s e .

W i t t g e n s t e i n s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h E n g e l m a n n d o e s

i n d e e d h e l p o n e t o u n d e r s t a n d h i s m y s t i c i s m . F o r e x a m p l e , i n

A p r i l 1 9 1 7 , E n g e l m a n n s e n t W i t t g e n s t e i n a p o e m b y U h l a n d

c a l l e d C o u n t E b e r h a r d s H a w t h o r n , w h i c h , v e r y s i m p l y a n d

w i t h o u t a n y e m b e l l i s h m e n t , d r a w i n g o f m o r a l s o r e v e n c o m

m e n t , t e l l s t h e s t o r y o f a s o l d i e r w h o , w h i l e o n c r u s a d e , c u t s

a s p r a y f r o m a h a w t h o r n b u s h , w h i c h , w h e n h e r e t u r n s h o m e ,

h e p l a n t s i n h i s g a r d e n . I n o l d a g e , h e s i t s b e n e a t h t h e s h a d e

o f t h e f u l l y g r o w n h a w t h o r n t r e e , w h i c h s e r v e s a s a r e m i n d e r

o f h i s y o u t h . A l m o s t a l l o t h e r p o e m s , E n g e l m a n n w r o t e t o

W i t t g e n s t e i n , a t t e m p t t o e x p r e s s t h e i n e x p r e s s i b l e ; h e r e t h a t

i s n o t a t t e m p t e d , a n d p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e o f t h a t i t i s a c h i e v e d .

W i t t g e n s t e i n a g r e e d . T h e p o e m , h e s a i d , w a s r e a l l y m a g

n i f i c e n t . . . A n d t h i s i s h o w i t is : i f o n l y y o u d o n o t t r y t o

u t t e r w h a t is u n u t t e r a b l e t h e n n o t h i n g g e t s l o s t . B u t t h e u n u t

t e r a b l e w i l l b e - u n u t t e r a b l y - c o n t a i n e d i n w h a t h a s b e e n

u t t e r e d !

T h i s c l e a r l y b e c a m e W i t t g e n s t e i n s i d e a l : t o c o m m u n i c a t e

t h e i n e x p r e s s i b l e b y n o t a t t e m p t i n g t o e x p r e s s i t . A t t h e e n d o f

t h e T r a c t a t u s , i n b e t w e e n t h e t w o r e m a r k s a l r e a d y q u o t e d

o n e t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t t h e i n e x p r e s s i b l e s h o r n i t s e l f a n d t h e

o t h e r t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t t h e p r o p o s i t i o n s i n t h e T r a c t a tu s a r e

n o n s e n s e a n d t o b e t r e a t e d l i k e a l a d d e r w h i c h o n e k i c k s a w a y

a f t e r o n e h a s u s e d i t - i s t h e f o l l o w i n g r e m a r k a b o u t h o w ,

s t r i c t l y s p e a k i n g , p h i l o s o p h y o u g h t t o b e d o n e :

The right method of philosophy would be this. To say

nothing except what can be said, i.e., the propositions of

natural science, i.e., something that has nothing to do with


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philosophy: and then always, when someone else wished to

say something metaphysical, to demonstrate to him that he

had given no meaning to certain signs in his propositions.

This method would be unsatisfying to the other - he would

not have the feeling that we were teaching him philoso

phy - but it would be the only strictly correct method.

I t w o u l d s e e m t o f o l l o w f r o m t h i s t h a t , i f o n e f o l l o w e d t h e

r i g h t m e t h o d o f p h i l o s o p h y , t h e n i t w o u l d s i m p l y b e i m p o s

s i b l e t o w r i t e a b o o k o f p h i l o s o p h y . S u c h a b o o k w o u l d

b e l i k e t h e s e c o n d p a r t o f t h e T r a c ta tu s a s d e s c r i b e d b y

W i t t g e n s t e i n t o v o n F i c k e r , t h e i m p o r t a n t p a r t c o n s i s t i n g o f

e v e r y t h i n g h e h a d n o t w r i t t e n . I t w o u l d , i n o t h e r w o r d s , n o t

e x i s t . T h e E r s t p a r t o f t h e b o o k , h o w e v e r , t h e p a r t h e d i d

w r i t e , c l e a r l y d o e s n o t c o n f o r m t o w h a t h e d e s c r i b e s h e r e a s

t h e r i g h t m e t h o d o f p h i l o s o p h y . A r e w e t o r e g a r d h i m , t h e n ,

a s j u s t s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d l y i n c o n s i s t e n t a b o u t h o w ( a n d w h e t h e r )

p h i l o s o p h y s h o u l d b e w r i t t e n ?

I s W i t t g e n s t e i n , i n o t h e r w o r d s , c o m p r o m i s i n g h i s i d e a l

w h e n h e w r i t e s a n y t h i n g i n p h i l o s o p h y ? I f p h i l o s o p h y , l i k e

l o g i c a n d e t h i c s , b e l o n g s t o t h e i n e x p r e s s i b l e , s h o u l d h e n o t

c o n f o r m t o t h e a d v i c e g i v e n t w i c e i n t h e b o o k a n d r e m a i n

s i l e n t a b o u t i t ? T h e m o t t o W i t t g e n s t e i n c h o s e f o r t h e b o o k i s

a q u o t a t i o n f r o m t h e p o e t K i i r n b e r g e r : * . . . a n d a n y t h i n g a

m a n k n o w s , a n y t h i n g h e h a s n o t m e r e l y h e a r d r u m b l i n g a n d

r o a r i n g , c a n b e s a i d i n t h r e e w o r d s . B u t , i n t h e c a s e o f t h e

i n e x p r e s s i b l e , s u r e l y , e v e n t h r e e w o r d s a r e t o o m a n y S h o u l d

w e n o t , m u s t w e n o t , r e f r a i n f r o m u s i n g a n y w o r d s a t a ll ?

W e l l , t h e p o e m b y U h l a n d t h a t w a s s o a d m i r e d b y

E n g e l m a n n a n d W i t t g e n s t e i n d o e s , a f t e r a l l , c o n t a i n s o m e

w o r d s . O n l y t h o s e w o r d s a r e n o t a b o u t t h e m e a n i n g o f l i f e ;

t h e y a r e a b o u t C o u n t E b e r h a r d a n d h i s h a w t h o r n t r e e . A n d


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y e t , E n g e l m a n n a n d W i t t g e n s t e i n a p p e a r e d t o b e l i e v e , p r e

c i s e l y b e c a u s e n o t h i n g d i r e c t l y w a s s a i d i n t h e p o e m a b o u t i t s

d e e p e r m e a n i n g , t h a t i t m a n a g e d t o c o n v e y a n i n e x p r e s s i b l e

t r u t h a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f l i f e . W i t t g e n s t e i n o n c e w r o t e : I

t h i n k I s u m m e d u p m y a t t i t u d e t o p h i l o s o p h y w h e n I s a i d :

p h i l o s o p h y o u g h t r e a l l y t o b e w r i t t e n o n l y a s a p o e t i c c o m p o s i

t i o n ! H i s a d m i r a t i o n f o r U h l a n d s p o e m , I t h i n k , g i v e s u s a

c l u e a s t o w h a t h e h a d i n m i n d . I f p h i l o s o p h i c a l u n d e r s t a n d

i n g i s t o b e c o n v e y e d , t h e n i t c a n n o t b e i n t h e s a m e w a y t h a t

s c i e n t i f i c k n o w l e d g e i s c o n v e y e d - i . e . , s t a t e d d i r e c t l y i n l i t e r a l

l a n g u a g e - i t m u s t b e t h r o u g h s o m e t h i n g m o r e a n a l o g o u s t o

p o e t r y . T h e p h i l o s o p h e r h a s t o

Ray Monk - How to Read Wittgenstein (2005)

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