Wittgenstein's Lectures on the foundations of mathematics, Cambridge, 1939: From the notes of R. G. Bosanquet, Norman Malcolm, Rush Rhees, and Yorick Smythies

Ludwig Wittgenstein

ISBN 10: 0801409594 / ISBN 13: 9780801409592

Published by Cornell University Press, 1976

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Wittgenstein's Lectures on the foundations of mathematics, Cambridge, 1939: From the notes of R. G. Bosanquet, Norman Malcolm, Rush Rhees, and Yorick Smythies
• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Publication Date: 1976
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801409594
• ISBN 13: 9780801409592
• Binding: hardcover
• Condition: New

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Synopsis

s/t: From the Notes of R.G. Bosanquet, Norman Malcolm, Rush Rhees & Yorick Smythies
For several terms at Cambridge in 1939, Wittgenstein lectured on the philosophical foundations of mathematics. A lecture class taught by him hardly resembled a lecture. He sat on a chair in the middle of the room, with some of the class sitting in chairs, some on the floor. He never used notes. He paused frequently, sometimes for several minutes, while he puzzled out a problem. He often asked his listeners questions & reacted to their replies. Many meetings were largely conversation. These lectures were attended by, among others, D.A.T. Gasking, J.N. Findlay, Stephen Toulmin, Alan Turing, G.H. von Wright, R.G. Bosanquet, Norman Malcolm, Rush Rhees & Yorick Smythies. Notes taken by these last four are the basis for the 31 lectures in this book. The lectures covered such topics as the nature of mathematics, the distinctions between mathematical & everyday languages, the truth of mathematical propositions, consistency & contradiction in formal systems, the logicism of Frege & Russell, Platonism, identity, negation & necessary truth. The mathematical examples used are nearly always elementary.

From the Back Cover

For several terms at Cambridge in 1939, Ludwig Wittgenstein lectured on the philosophical foundations of mathematics. A lecture class taught by Wittgenstein, however, hardly resembled a lecture.