Grayling offers a highly approachable and lucid introduction to Wittgenstein's work, along with some of its historical and philosophical context.

His writing style makes the complex ideas of Wittgenstein more understandable for a wider audience.

Although I found myself in disagreement with nearly all of Grayling's critiques of Wittgenstein, I must admit that this book was an excellent read.

The way Grayling presents Wittgenstein's ideas and the context in which they were developed is both engaging and informative.

It allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of Wittgenstein's philosophy and its significance in the history of philosophy.

Even if one does not agree with all of Grayling's interpretations and critiques, the book still provides valuable insights and food for thought.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Wittgenstein or philosophy in general.

Wittgenstein's philosophy can be divided into two major periods, and this article provides a fairly digestible and coherent summary of them.

However, the end of the article spoils the overall impression. The author offers an editorial evaluation of Wittgenstein's work that is quite negative. As an admitted admirer of Wittgenstein, I find this evaluation to be quite shallow and missing the point. It fails to fully understand and appreciate some of the profound notions that had been raised earlier in the same book.

Perhaps this evaluation might be more satisfying to someone who is more ambivalent about Wittgenstein himself. But for those who truly understand and respect his work, this negative assessment seems unjust and inaccurate.

In conclusion, while the summary of Wittgenstein's two major periods is valuable, the author's editorial evaluation at the end detracts from the overall quality of the article.

Never mind the fact that Grayling's critique of Wittgenstein sometimes is misleading. This is a good little book that you should read before you move on to heavier works. It provides valuable insights and perspectives that can enhance your understanding of Wittgenstein's ideas.

If you want to read more about Wittgenstein before delving into his own books, I also recommend the works of Baker and Hacker. Their writings offer in-depth analysis and exploration of Wittgenstein's philosophy. Additionally, McGinn's Wittgenstein on meaning is another excellent resource that can help you gain a better understanding of this complex topic.

Kripke, on the other hand, is more controversial. In my opinion, his approach is a bit off-track. However, his work still has its merits and can be a valuable addition to your study of Wittgenstein. It is important to consider different perspectives and interpretations when studying philosophy, as this can help you form your own informed opinions.

Wittgenstein was indeed a remarkable figure.

He seems to me to be something of an intellectual masochist. He had a profound aversion to most philosophy, with his aim being to explore language in order to bring an end to philosophy. He was delighted when his students abandoned philosophy. Yet, he is one of the most renowned philosophers of the previous century. This is what makes reading the Tractatus so peculiar: he is penning anti-philosophy philosophy.

On a smaller scale, the same oddity is replicated in Grayling's book. Grayling is writing anti-Wittgenstein Wittgenstein. I'm not entirely sure why he initially agreed to write this book. Grayling clearly holds a very low opinion of Wittgenstein and can't refrain from criticizing him at every opportunity. After elucidating the thesis of the Tractatus, Grayling proceeds to tear it apart, and he does the same with the Philosophical Investigations. (To be fair, I actually found many of his criticisms interesting and persuasive—albeit perhaps out of place in an introductory text.)

Grayling not only disagrees with Wittgenstein's arguments but even contends that Wittgenstein's influence has been grossly overestimated. First, he downplays Wittgenstein's influence on the Vienna Circle. Then, he characterizes Wittgenstein's influence on analytic philosophy as fleeting—or at least meager in comparison to Russell's or Frege's. I truly have nothing to say regarding the accuracy of these claims (although they did seem at least partly politically motivated to me). However, it should be noted that if Wittgenstein had achieved his stated objective—to dissolve all the old philosophical problems through a critique of language—then philosophy would have come to an end, which it clearly has not. (Or has it?)

But if Wittgenstein failed in his stated goal, so did Grayling. Parts of this book were too technical for an introductory text. Even after reading Russell and Wittgenstein, I sometimes had difficulty following Grayling's exposition. But for those who, like me, have at least some background in the subject, this book will be thought-provoking. At the very least, Grayling offers a good counterpoint to all the Wittgenstein evangelists out there.

Grayling offers a concise biography, an examination of Wittgenstein's early masterpiece, "The Tractatus," and an analysis of his later work, predominantly "Philosophical Investigations." Finally, it takes a look at Wittgenstein's influence.

Since I had scant knowledge of Wittgenstein (yes, I confess my ignorance) and desired an overview, this book fulfilled my wishes precisely. It furnished me with a general comprehension of Wittgenstein's arguments and a concise background of information regarding him.

Wittgenstein's principal concern lies in language and how our utilization of language gives rise to philosophical problems. If you are like me and sought a brief overview and understanding, this book will accomplish the task.

I read this book in the form of an audio book. Kyle Munley did an excellent job narrating the book.

Overall, it is a great resource for those who want to gain a basic understanding of Wittgenstein's philosophy without delving too deeply into the complex details.

I was extremely disappointed with this book.

My encounter with the Oxford University Press “Very Short Introductions” series has been that they are accessible to the general public. At times, there might be some bits here and there that pose more of a challenge, but overall, they are typically suitable for a lay reader.

The first 30 or so pages of this book fall into that category, and so do the last 30 or so pages. However, the middle 60 pages were, in my opinion, entirely incomprehensible.

I am completely mystified as to why there are so many positive reviews for this book on Goodreads. I truly wish to know if *anyone* found the middle of this book understandable - excluding those who already possess a rather good background in analytic philosophy, or have covered Wittgenstein in a college course already, or have already dedicated a significant amount of effort to studying him. It's fine if this book brings joy to those in those categories - but it really shouldn't have been included in a series that claims to make ideas accessible to “anyone” (as stated by OUP in the front matter of the book).

It seems that this particular volume has deviated from the intended purpose of the series, leaving many ordinary readers like myself feeling frustrated and left behind.

Perhaps a more thorough review and editing process could have been implemented to ensure that the content remains within the reach of the average reader.

As it stands, this book has failed to meet my expectations and has left me with a sense of dissatisfaction.

Ludwig Wittgenstein was a philosopher.

In the 20th century, philosophy became an occupation for specialists, and as such, most philosophers who have recently gained a reputation are known only among their colleagues. However, Wittgenstein is known far beyond the boundaries of philosophy. Among non-philosophers, his name is surprisingly often mentioned and in a surprising variety of connections. It seems that he is regarded by many as being essentially representative of 20th-century philosophy, as if he were exemplifying - not only through his work but also through his personality - the nature of philosophy: difficult and profound.

Perhaps for this reason, his writings are a permanent source of aphorisms. They lend themselves to such treatment due to their style and structure, and because they seem to distill something of wisdom.

Wittgenstein's ideas have had a profound impact on various fields, including language philosophy, logic, and psychology. His works continue to be studied and debated by scholars and philosophers around the world.

Overall, Ludwig Wittgenstein is a highly influential figure in the history of philosophy, and his ideas and writings will continue to be relevant and studied for years to come.

Benim adıma çok çok güzel bir Wittgenstein 101 kitabıydı. I had been postponing meeting Wittgenstein for years because I knew he was a thinker who required a great deal of reading and understanding. However, due to circumstances, I had to finally stop postponing. I think this book is very good for those who have been postponing getting to know Wittgenstein as it explains all the Wittgenstein terminology in a very understandable introductory level.

After all, when it comes to understanding Wittgenstein, it is always said that instead of directly reading Wittgenstein, one should read what has been written about him. This advice seemed quite different when we thought that the best way to get to know someone is to directly read that person. But just skimming through the pages of the Tractatus had shown me that reading without prior knowledge or without getting to know Wittgenstein would not yield the desired result.

In short, it is a very reasonable book to start with Wittgenstein.

I should really stop reading biographies of people I'm interested in by people who dislike them.

It seems that when an author has a negative attitude towards the subject, it can greatly influence the way the story is presented.

Instead of getting an objective and comprehensive view, I often find myself being swayed by the author's biases.

This can lead to a distorted perception of the person I'm trying to learn about.

I think it's important to seek out biographies written by those who have a more balanced or even positive perspective.

That way, I can get a more accurate and nuanced understanding of the individual's life and achievements.

By doing so, I can form my own opinions based on a more reliable source of information.

It's time for me to be more discerning when choosing the biographies I read and make sure they are written by those who can offer a fair and honest account.

If this introduction were any longer, my body would somersault down a hill and my head would get stuck in a toilet bowl.

This vivid description emphasizes the extreme lengths one might go to avoid a long introduction. It creates a humorous and somewhat absurd image in the reader's mind.

Imagine the chaos that would ensue if such a thing were to happen. The physical comedy of a body somersaulting down a hill and the unfortunate outcome of a head getting stuck in a toilet bowl add an element of hilarity to the situation.

It serves as a reminder that sometimes, brevity is key when it comes to introductions. We should strive to get to the point quickly and efficiently, without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.

So, the next time you're writing an introduction, think about this crazy scenario and consider keeping it short and sweet.

A short and stimulating overview of Wittgenstein has been presented, covering both his philosophical concerns and theses, as well as his personality. This has piqued my interest to explore Wittgenstein's works on my own. However, it is relatively patent that the author doesn't hold Wittgenstein's theses and Wittgenstein himself in high regard, deeming them unpersuasive and of little philosophical importance. At times, the author seems to treat Wittgenstein's followers in a scornful manner, as if they were part of an idolizing cult rather than something worthy of serious consideration in the philosophical realm. I also found the writing style to be a bit hermetic on occasion. There were some sentences whose structure appeared unnecessarily complicated for someone like me. I had to read them several times to fully understand their content.

A very strange treatment and the first real disappointment I've had from the VSI series up to now, although by no means completely worthless.

Most of the reviews here are correct. It is surprisingly critical and has very little positive to say about Wittgenstein in any aspect. This doesn't necessarily make it bad, but it doesn't seem balanced enough to be a good introduction for beginners.

I think adding critiques is a good thing, as people should have different perspectives. However, a truly beginner-friendly read should attempt to present both the positive and negative responses/interpretations of Wittgenstein. Grayling hints at the positive ones, but should have developed them more fully. I guess he thought that the positive reputation of Wittgenstein is so well-known that it didn't need to be emphasized, but this makes the book seem one-sided.

That being said, the actual summaries of the "essence" of the Tractatus and Investigations are very good. And Grayling was smart enough to separate his personal critiques from the summaries of the works, so that the latter can be separated from the former and used reliably by novices to understand Wittgenstein's thinking.