Taking Wittgenstein at His Word: A Textual Study (Princeton Monographs in Philosophy) - Softcover

Book 6 of 20: Princeton Monographs in Philosophy

Fogelin, Robert J.

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9780691202389: Taking Wittgenstein at His Word: A Textual Study (Princeton Monographs in Philosophy)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0691202389 ISBN 13: 9780691202389
Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2020

Synopsis

Taking Wittgenstein at His Word is an experiment in reading organized around a central question: What kind of interpretation of Wittgenstein's later philosophy emerges if we adhere strictly to his claims that he is not in the business of presenting and defending philosophical theses and that his only aim is to expose persistent conceptual misunderstandings that lead to deep philosophical perplexities? Robert Fogelin draws out the therapeutic aspects of Wittgenstein's later work by closely examining his account of rule-following and how he applies the idea in the philosophy of mathematics.

The first of the book's two parts focuses on rule-following, Wittgenstein's "paradox of interpretation," and his naturalistic response to this paradox, all of which are persistent and crucial features of his later philosophy. Fogelin offers a corrective to the frequent misunderstanding that the paradox of interpretation is a paradox about meaning, and he emphasizes the importance of Wittgenstein's often undervalued appeals to natural responses. The second half of the book examines how Wittgenstein applies his reflections on rule-following to the status of mathematical propositions, proofs, and objects, leading to remarkable, demystifying results.

Taking Wittgenstein at His Word shows that what Wittgenstein claims to be doing and what he actually does are much closer than is often recognized. In doing so, the book underscores fundamental―but frequently underappreciated―insights about Wittgenstein's later philosophy.

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About the Author

Robert J. Fogelin is professor of philosophy and the Sherman Fairchild Professor Emeritus in the Humanities at Dartmouth College. His many books include Wittgenstein, Pyrrhonian Reflections on Knowledge and Justification, Walking the Tightrope of Reason, and A Defense of Hume on Miracles (Princeton).

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Publisher
Princeton University Press
Publication date
2020
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0691202389
ISBN 13 
9780691202389
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
208
Rating
  • 4.33 out of 5 stars
    12 ratings by Goodreads

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780691142531: Taking Wittgenstein at His Word: A Textual Study (Princeton Monographs in Philosophy)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  069114253X ISBN 13:  9780691142531
Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2009
Hardcover