If the book were any longer, it would have to be considered merely "short" and not "very short."

It tops out at 135 pages, near the longer end of the spectrum for the Very Short Introduction Series.

But those 135 pages offer about as good an introduction to Wittgenstein as one could hope for without venturing onto philosophically complex terrain.

The book has four chapters.

The first sketches Wittgenstein's (frankly unusual) life.

The second covers his early philosophy as propounded in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.

The third elucidates the later philosophy, all of which was published posthumously in such works as the Philosophical Investigations.

In the brief final chapter, Grayling briefly assesses Wittgenstein's legacy and his place in contemporary philosophy.

Grayling does an excellent job detailing the main concepts of Wittgenstein's philosophy, its relationship to other contemporary philosophical schools, its influences, and its origins.

All the main concepts and ideas are discussed: symbolic logic and propositional calculus, the picture theory, the private language argument, forms of life, rules and language games, and so forth.

There's no mention of the famous beetle in a box, but otherwise Grayling's treatment is comprehensive.

He is especially good at demonstrating how the later philosophy emerged from the early; they both attempted to solve the same problem in similar ways, but took different approaches because they understood the problem differently.

What surprised me about the book is how critical it is.

Wittgenstein has a reputation as the greatest philosopher of the last century.

Grayling concedes his brilliance as a thinker but contends that his place in philosophy is not as distinguished or crucial as it is made out to be.

After listing some major criticisms of Wittgenstein's later philosophy (two are its susceptibility to cognitive relativism and the apparent impossibility of any private language at all), Grayling declares that these criticisms "suggest that Wittgenstein's later philosophy is not as it stands persuasive" (125).

He doesn't come out and say it, but you get the feeling Grayling thinks Wittgenstein is overrated.

His reputation notwithstanding, Grayling contends, Wittgenstein is far from being the most important figure in twentieth-century philosophy.

The reason is that despite Wittgenstein's attempt to banish the main "problems of philosophy" from philosophical consideration, most philosophers still spend most of their time examining those very problems.

From a layman's perspective, it's their focus on those problems that make them philosophers.

Wittgenstein believed a focus on language would dissolve those questions by demonstrating their nullity.

That most philosophers simply reject this claim, Grayling says, shows that Wittgenstein's influence upon philosophy has been much less significant than it has been made out to be (126-7).

Grayling clearly respects Wittgenstein, and praises his striking writing style and his originality.

Yet under the flash there is less than meets the eye.

"The irresistible feeling is this: that the journey through Wittgenstein's circuitous, metaphorical, sometimes opaque negations and suggestions is long; but the distance it takes one is short" (134).

Grayling concludes by noting that the great personalities in philosophy and the great philosophers are not always one and the same.

We simply are too close to Wittgenstein to determine if he is one or the other.

Published Wednesday, 12 August 2015

Wittgenstein's ideas in his two books, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and Philosophical Investigations, are presented in an insightful summary. There are numerous interesting thoughts regarding language, meaning, and the limitations of language in solving philosophical problems. Wittgenstein aimed to solve all philosophical problems, believing they stemmed from the misuse of language. However, A.C. Grayling, the author of this book, is not a fan of Wittgenstein. In fact, he is quite critical, stating that Wittgenstein is overrated, not one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century, his influence is exaggerated, and his ideas are flawed. I'm not necessarily disagreeing; it's just humorous that they chose a detractor to write this book.

The first chapter offers a concise yet excellent biography of Wittgenstein. After writing his first book, he abandoned philosophy, thinking he had resolved all philosophical issues. He then became an engineer, a schoolteacher (until he assaulted a student), attempted to be a monk (unsuccessfully), built a cabin for himself in Norway, tried to persuade many of his students to give up philosophy, fought in WWI, emigrated to the USSR in the '30s, worked as an architect, gave away his fortune to his siblings, and much more. He was extremely intense, to the extent of having a mini-cult of personality among his students who were completely obsessed with him. He was truly an interesting individual.

Some quotes from the text include: “If we have an incorrect view of the way language works we shall be liable to confusions; for example, we shall assimilate the use of one kind of expression to that of quite a different kind, or we shall mistakenly try to understand an expression in isolation from the contexts in which it normally does its work.” And “Wittgenstein’s remarks about method come down to is the claim that in philosophy we should not seek to explain but only to describe (‘explaining’ amounts to constructing further theories), for we are not trying to discover new information but, quite differently, to organize properly – and by so doing to make ourselves understand properly – what we already know about our language and thought.” Also, “They describe him as about five feet, six inches tall, with a transfixing gaze and a fierce, uncompromising manner. Almost everyone who has left a record of encounters with Wittgenstein comments on the power of his personality, and mentions the way people fell under his spell as if mesmerized by the intensity of his expression and the striking gestures he made when discoursing.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein is a highly influential philosopher. His ideas have had a profound impact on various fields.

Wittgenstein's philosophy is known for its complexity and depth. He explored many fundamental questions about language, logic, and the nature of reality.

One of his key concepts is the idea that language is not just a tool for communication but also shapes our understanding of the world.

He believed that the meaning of words is determined by their use in different contexts.

This view challenges the traditional assumption that words have fixed and objective meanings.

Wittgenstein also emphasized the importance of clarity and precision in thinking and expressing ideas.

His work encourages us to carefully examine our language and the concepts we use to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.

Overall, Wittgenstein's philosophy offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on many aspects of human experience and knowledge.

I have had a great pleasure in reading this book.

Of course, the reason is my previous acquaintance with the philosophy of science and the ideas of Kuhn and Feyerabend, which, according to the claim, have a very high dependence on the literature of Wittgenstein.

The combination of these different intellectual strands has made the reading experience both challenging and highly rewarding.

It has forced me to think deeply about the nature of knowledge, the role of language in shaping our understanding, and the ways in which scientific paradigms shift over time.

Overall, this book has been a valuable addition to my intellectual library and has left me with much to ponder and explore further.

I'm left wondering if all Very Short Introductions are as slanted as this one.

And perhaps other authors are simply more opaque about it. Granted, Grayling does qualify that he is presenting his interpretations, and implies that this is basically all we can reasonably expect, and will come close to an unbiased introduction.

I found the book useful, so I guess it served its purpose. However, I find it hard to believe that the criticism that bookends the explanations of both late and early Wittgenstein were necessary.

This is especially true for Grayling's critique of the Tractatus. Wittgenstein himself gives us a much better intuition of its flaws in the Investigations, and Grayling in turn makes sure to let us know about it.

Given this book's audience, most readers (myself included) will be absolutely helpless to determine if Grayling's harsh critiques of the later Wittgenstein hold up. We are left to trust Grayling's expertise and judgment, but it would have been nice to have a more balanced presentation.

Perhaps future Very Short Introductions can strive for a more objective approach, or at least make it clearer when the author's personal interpretations are being presented.

Other authors of Oxford short introductions claim that Wittgenstein is influenced by Schopenhauer. However, the author of this particular work fails to address this comment. As a result, readers are not guided to understand Wittgenstein in a more comprehensive manner.

The style of the writing in this book is more akin to that of a Wikipedia entry rather than an inviting journey into the spiritual world of Wittgenstein. Grayling repeats the mention of the structure of the book in numerous places. This repetition makes the writing less fluid and less enjoyable for the reader.

It would have been beneficial if the author had engaged with the idea of Wittgenstein's possible influence from Schopenhauer. This could have added depth and complexity to the analysis of Wittgenstein's thought. Additionally, a more engaging writing style, perhaps with less emphasis on the book's structure, would have made the exploration of Wittgenstein's spiritual world more captivating for the reader.

A Pretty Neat Introduction to Wittgenstein

This text provides a rather interesting and concise introduction to Wittgenstein, covering aspects of his life and work. It offers a glimpse into the world of this renowned philosopher. However, after perusing this book, there is still a sense that a complete understanding of Wittgenstein's ideas and the evolution of his thoughts remains elusive.

Perhaps this is because Wittgenstein's work is highly complex and requires in-depth study and analysis. It seems that to truly grasp his concepts, one may need to delve into more substantial and comprehensive works on the subject.

Nonetheless, this introduction serves as a valuable starting point, piquing the reader's interest and inspiring further exploration into the fascinating realm of Wittgenstein's philosophy.

Understanding Wittgenstein seems not to be enough for me. I still need to read more.

However, it was a good start, especially because the author's critical perspective has saved the book from becoming a mirror. Wittgenstein's life is really extraordinary, and it is sometimes difficult to evaluate his character and works separately.

As a result, it is a good book for beginners, and by underlining the areas of discussion, it simplifies the life of us novices.

This book provides a valuable introduction to Wittgenstein's thought and life, although it may not be comprehensive enough. It makes the complex ideas more accessible and encourages further exploration.

Overall, it is a useful resource for those who are interested in philosophy and want to learn more about Wittgenstein.

Wittgenstein's philosophy is a complex and profound subject that requires careful study and consideration.

This article provides an approachable introduction to his ideas, making it accessible to those who are new to the topic.

However, it should be noted that this introduction may not be suitable for everyone.

If you do not have an appreciation for analytic philosophy, you may find the concepts and arguments presented in this article to be quite tedious.

Analytic philosophy is a style of philosophy that emphasizes clarity, precision, and logical analysis.

Wittgenstein's work is often considered to be a典范 of analytic philosophy, and as such, it requires a certain level of intellectual rigor and attention to detail.

Despite its challenges, studying Wittgenstein's philosophy can be a rewarding experience.

His ideas have had a significant impact on many areas of philosophy, including language, logic, and metaphysics.

By engaging with his work, you can gain a deeper understanding of these fundamental philosophical issues and develop your own critical thinking skills.

So, if you are willing to put in the effort and have an open mind, this approachable introduction to Wittgenstein's philosophy may be just what you need to get started.

It is perhaps not all that astonishing that an analytic philosopher would have such a distinct penchant for explicating and critiquing Wittgenstein's early hyper-analytic oeuvre rather than delving into the metaphorical and aphoristic mysteries of his later work.

After all, the early work lends itself more readily to the kind of detailed analysis and dissection that analytic philosophers are renowned for.

However, it must be noted that this was indeed a very concise introduction. In just a few pages, the author manages to provide a cursory overview of some of the key aspects of Wittgenstein's thought.

While it may not be a comprehensive treatment, it does serve its purpose of whetting the reader's appetite and providing a starting point for further exploration.

All in all, considering the brevity of the introduction, one can perhaps say that the mission has been accomplished.

Ludwig Wittgenstein had two periods and established two philosophical systems that were opposite to each other.

First, he wrote the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and claimed that all philosophical problems could be solved with this theory. Then he completely abandoned philosophy and took up a teaching and gardening job. But after ten years, he came to the conclusion that the foundation of his philosophy was completely wrong, so he returned and established a new philosophy and wrote the Philosophical Investigations, which was published after his death.

In the first period, Wittgenstein argued that language has a passive property, that is, it only describes external things as they are and does not interfere with them.

In the second period, Wittgenstein believed that language also has an active property, that is, it is not only a witness and a function of the external reality, but also shapes our perception of the real world. As a result, two cultures with two different languages understand the world in two different ways.

The first philosophy of Wittgenstein

Language is composed of two levels:

1. Names, which are "simple".

2. Sentences or propositions, which are "complex" of names.

Names and propositions act in two different ways:

1. Names "refer" to reality, that is, there is no real connection between names and reality, but we have created an artificial and stipulative relationship between them to refer to reality.

2. Propositions "picture" (or "describe") reality, that is, they have a structure that has a real similarity to the structure of real things, and the elements of the proposition (names) are arranged in the same order as the elements of reality (things).

When we say that a name has "meaning", it means that it "refers" to something, but when we say that a proposition has "meaning", it means that it "pictures" something. That is, we have an organized set of names (propositions) and an organized set of things (reality), and the structure of these names reflects and "pictures" the structure of those things. (Sometimes this picture is accurate and the proposition is "true", and sometimes it is not accurate and the proposition is "false".)

So two elements are important in the picturing and having meaning of a proposition, and if one of these two elements is missing, the proposition is meaningless:

1. The structure of names

2. The structure of things for which we have them.

So ethical, religious, and metaphysical propositions that do not describe the structure of things are unpictorial and, in the end, meaningless.

The second philosophy of Wittgenstein

1. Unity and language games

Language is not a unified thing, but different things are done with language (telling news, asking questions, giving moral advice, poetry, legislation, asking about health and formal greetings, joking and insulting, etc.), which Wittgenstein calls "language games". These different uses, although they have some similarities with each other (which he calls "family resemblance"), but in no way do they have the same logic, and it is not possible to bring all of them under one single logical system.

2. Meaning and mastery of technique

In such conditions, the meaning of a word is not "something" to which it refers, but the meaning of a word is the role and function of that word in each of the language games. Like a tile that has three different functions in three different games, and it is the role of the tile in each game that determines the nature and meaning of the tile in that game. As a result, understanding a language means "mastery of technique" and the rules and procedures of a game.

3. Essence and social agreement

These rules and procedures are not taken from the structure of the external world, but are only an agreement among humans; as a result, the logic of language is not something fixed and dependent on the external world, but something relative and dependent on our collective mind, our beliefs, our tendencies, and our "way of life".

2.5. I'm not a Wittgensteinian myself. However, they really could have chosen an author who doesn't seem to hold such a strong dislike for Wittgenstein.

It's quite noticeable that the current author's attitude towards Wittgenstein is rather negative. This might have an impact on the overall perception and understanding of Wittgenstein's ideas and contributions.

By selecting an author with a more neutral or even favorable stance towards Wittgenstein, it would be possible to present a more comprehensive and balanced view.

This could potentially lead to a better appreciation and exploration of Wittgenstein's work, rather than being influenced by the author's personal aversion.

It's important to consider the objectivity and impartiality of the author when it comes to discussing and analyzing important philosophical figures like Wittgenstein.