cover of episode James Klagge on Wittgenstein

James Klagge on Wittgenstein

2024/2/19
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James Klagge: 维特根斯坦来自维也纳一个富有的家庭,他的家庭既富有又注重文化,这对他的人生和哲学思想都产生了影响。他的工程和数学背景使他转向逻辑学,最终进入哲学领域。他的父亲非常专制,他的两个哥哥可能因为父亲的压力而自杀。维特根斯坦的性格严肃认真,可能难以相处,他的言谈举止给人留下深刻印象。 《逻辑哲学论》的项目源于维特根斯坦的工程背景,试图通过模型来理解语言如何表达世界。他提出了一种“图像理论”来解释意义,认为句子是现实的图像或表征。他试图通过分析现实和语言的最小单元,来展示两者在最基本层面的联系。 伯特兰·罗素和《数学原理》对维特根斯坦及其著作《逻辑哲学论》产生了重要影响。维特根斯坦认为逻辑不描述世界,而是揭示世界的结构。《逻辑哲学论》的结构和风格与维特根斯坦在第一次世界大战期间写作的背景有关,其编号系统源于《数学原理》,方便在写作过程中插入新的命题。维特根斯坦的写作风格受到歌德、叔本华等人的影响,注重简洁和警句式的表达,他非常重视其思想的表达形式。 维特根斯坦自愿参加第一次世界大战,并在战争中担任炮兵观测员。第一次世界大战的经历深刻地影响了维特根斯坦的思想,使他开始思考上帝、死亡、人生意义等问题。第一次世界大战的经历塑造了《逻辑哲学论》的最后部分,使他的哲学能够包容所有经验。维特根斯坦认为关于伦理、宗教等方面的语言并非陈述真假,而是表达情感和态度。他并非认为伦理讨论毫无意义,而是认为谈论伦理、宗教等重要议题的方式不当。他对伦理和宗教的严肃态度与维也纳学派的观点形成鲜明对比。 《逻辑哲学论》出版过程曲折,最终由罗素和他的助手帮助出版。维也纳学派对《逻辑哲学论》的前一部分表示赞赏,但对后一部分特别是关于伦理和宗教的观点持否定态度。《逻辑哲学论》的早期评论褒贬不一,一些评论家表示赞赏,一些评论家表示困惑,还有一些评论家持否定态度。罗素虽然为《逻辑哲学论》撰写了序言,但他并不完全理解维特根斯坦的思想。维特根斯坦的作品,特别是《逻辑哲学论》,被认为是20世纪最重要的哲学著作之一,对分析哲学产生了深远的影响。 《逻辑哲学论》中的一些命题直接反映了维特根斯坦在战争中的经历,例如他对个人意志与世界独立性的认识。维特根斯坦认为,即使无法控制外部环境,也能控制自己的思想和态度。维特根斯坦对永恒生命的理解并非无限的持续时间,而是时间的永恒。托尔斯泰的《福音书概要》对维特根斯坦的思想产生了影响。

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Key Insights

What was Ludwig Wittgenstein's family background and how did it influence his early life?

Wittgenstein grew up in one of the wealthiest families in Vienna, comparable to the Krupps in Germany or the Carnegies in the United States. His father was a domineering manufacturing businessman who pressured his older brothers into the family business, leading to their suicides. Wittgenstein, the youngest, was allowed to study engineering instead, which eventually led him to philosophy through his interest in logic.

How did Wittgenstein's experiences in World War I shape the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus?

Wittgenstein's experiences in World War I profoundly influenced the final sections of the Tractatus. While serving as an artillery spotter during the Russian Brusilov offensive, he began contemplating themes like God, death, ethics, and the meaning of life. These reflections are reflected in the last two dozen propositions of the book, which address existential and ethical questions, contrasting with the earlier focus on logic and language.

What is Wittgenstein's 'picture theory of meaning' in the Tractatus?

Wittgenstein's 'picture theory of meaning' posits that language represents reality by sharing its structure or form. Just as a model in engineering represents a real object, sentences or pictures represent parts of reality. This theory focuses on how language describes the world by breaking down both language and reality into their minimal components and showing their connection.

How did Wittgenstein's engineering background influence his philosophy?

Wittgenstein's background in engineering, particularly his work on aeronautical engineering and patents for propellers, led him to an interest in logic and models. This influenced his philosophical approach, especially his 'picture theory of meaning,' where he used the concept of models to explain how language represents reality.

What was Wittgenstein's relationship with Bertrand Russell and how did it impact his work?

Wittgenstein met Bertrand Russell at Cambridge, where Russell was a significant influence on his philosophical development. Russell's work on logic, particularly in Principia Mathematica, provided the context for Wittgenstein's early philosophical inquiries. However, Wittgenstein later diverged from Russell's views, especially in his conception of logic as showing rather than describing the structure of the world.

How did Wittgenstein's character and personality influence his philosophical work?

Wittgenstein was described as serious, noble, and childlike in his capacity for pleasure, but also cold and hard to get along with. His intense focus and seriousness, possibly linked to traits associated with Asperger's syndrome, shaped his rigorous and aphoristic writing style. He cared deeply about the form and clarity of his ideas, which is evident in the Tractatus.

What was the Vienna Circle's interpretation of the Tractatus, and how did it differ from Wittgenstein's intentions?

The Vienna Circle, a group of scientifically oriented philosophers, embraced the first 80% of the Tractatus, which focused on logic and language. However, they dismissed the final sections on ethics, religion, and existential themes, which Wittgenstein considered crucial. Wittgenstein valued these topics deeply and believed they should be approached with silence rather than superficial discussion.

How did Wittgenstein's wartime experiences influence his thoughts on ethics and the will?

During World War I, Wittgenstein realized that while he couldn't control external events, he could control his attitude toward them. This insight is reflected in propositions like 6.43, where he states that the world of the happy man differs from that of the unhappy man. He also explored the idea of eternal life as timelessness, influenced by Tolstoy's 'The Gospels in Brief,' which he carried with him during the war.

What is the significance of the numbering system in the Tractatus?

The numbering system in the Tractatus, inspired by Principia Mathematica, allowed Wittgenstein to organize and insert propositions flexibly. This system was particularly useful as he wrote the book during World War I, using notebooks in the trenches. The structure reflects his method of distilling and reorganizing ideas over time.

How was the Tractatus received in the UK and America after its publication?

The Tractatus received mixed reviews upon its publication. The first review, by H. Wilden Carr in the Times Literary Supplement, was highly positive. Other reviews ranged from puzzled to negative. Bertrand Russell, who wrote the introduction, regarded it as a work of genius but did not fully understand it, a sentiment Wittgenstein shared about most readers.

Chapters
This chapter explores Wittgenstein's privileged upbringing in Vienna, his family background, and his transition from engineering and mathematics to philosophy. It also introduces his unique personality and character, as described by his contemporaries.
  • Wittgenstein's wealthy and cultural Viennese background
  • His family's influence and the suicides of his brothers
  • His early interest in engineering and mathematics
  • His unique personality and mannerisms as described by his peers

Shownotes Transcript

In this episode James Klagge discusses the life and times of Ludwig Wittgenstein with David Edmonds. This is part of our mini series on the biographies of philosophers, Bio Bites.