Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations is one of the great works of 20th Century philosophy, destined to join the philosophical canon. Like all great works of philosophy, it poses new problems, while creating new forms of argument and persuasion. But unlike most contemporary philosophy texts, it is not structured by chapter and section headings, but rather by numbered passages - evidence of Wittgenstein's distinctive style and profound originality. This anthology draws together in one volume several recent essays that help to make his problems and arguments more accessible. The essays are grouped into four sections that roughly correspond to the development that one finds in the Investigations. These sections are: reference and meaning; rules and their application; the interiority of mind, and the alleged uses of private languages; and necessity and grammar. Both readers who are new to the Investigations as well as those who are familiar with Wittgenstein's work should find these essays illuminating and engaging.
About the AuthorMeredith Williams is professor of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of Wittgenstein, Mind and Meaning: Toward a Social Conception of the Mind (Routledge, 1998). She has published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at several conferences on Wittgenstein and philosophy of language.
ReviewsAn excellent collection of classic papers on key topics in the Investigations that approach the text from a wide range of perspectives. -- David G. Stern, University of Iowa
Williams has brought together a number of classic essays that anyone interested in Wittgenstein's Investigations needs to be familiar with. -- Alice Crary, Chair of Philosophy, New School for Social Research
Book InformationISBN 9780742541917
Author Meredith WilliamsFormat Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield PublishersPublisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 367g
Dimensions(mm) 230mm * 154mm * 11mm