Insight and Illusion: Themes in the Philosophy of Wittgenstein (Wittgenstein Studies)

Widely regarded as the best single-volume study of Wittgenstein's philosophy, Insight and Illusion is a thoroughly comprehensive examination of the evolution of Wittgenstein's thought from the Tractatus to his later "mature" phase. Since the first publication of Insight and Illusion in 1972, a wealth of Wittgenstein's writings has become accessible. Accordingly, in this edition Professor Hacker has rewritten six of his eleven original chapters and revised the others to incorporate the new abundant material. Insight and Illusion now fully clarifies the historical backgrounds of Wittgenstein's highly differing masterpieces, the Tractatus and the Investigations, and traces the evolution of Wittgenstein's thought. Hacker explains all of Wittgenstein's writings in detail, focusing on his critique of metaphysics, his famous "private language argument" and his account of self consciousness. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xix I. WITTG ENSTEIN'S EARLY CONCEPTION OF PHILOSOPHY 1. Background 1 2. The 'Preliminary' on Philosophy 12 3. Philosophy and Illusion 15 4. Philosophy as Critique and as Analysis 22 II. THE DIALOGUE WITH FRE GE AND RUSSELL 1. Agreements and Disagreements 28 2. The Grundgedankeof the Tractatus 34 3. The Laws of Logic 42 4. A Prelude to Conventionalism 50 III. MEANING, METAPHYSICS , AND THE MIND 1. The Picture Theory of Meaning 56 2. The Metaphysics of the Tractatus 65 3. Connecting Language with Reality: the role of the mind 73 IV. EMPIRICAL REALISM AND TRANSCENDENTAL SOLIPSISM 1. The Self of Solipsism 81 2. 'I am my World' 90 3. 'The limits of language mean the limits of my world' 100 4. Later Years 104 V. DISINTEGRATION AND RECONSTRUCTION 1. The Colour-Exclusion Problem 108 2. Dismantling the Tractatus 113 3. The Brouwer Lecture 120 4. Moving off in Fresh Directions 128 5. The Vienna Circle and Wittgenstein's Principle of Verification 134 VI. WITTGENSTEIN'S LATER CONCEPTION OF PHILOSOPHY 1. A Kink in the Evolution of Philosophy 146 2. A Cure for the Sickness of the Understanding 151 3. Philosophy, Science, and Description 156 4. Philosophy and Ordinary Language 161 5. The Phenomenology and Sources of Philosophical Illusion 165 6. Systematic Philosophy 175 VII. METAPHYSICS AS THE SHAD OW OF GRAMMAR 1. Grammar 179 2. The Autonomy of Grammar 185 3. Grammar and Metaphysics 193 4. A Note on Kant and Wittgenstein 206 VII. THE REFUTATION OF SOLIPSISM 1. Introduction 215 2. From Transcendental Solipsism to Methodological Solipsism 218 3. The Solipsist's Predicament: a restatement and second diagnosis 226 4. The Refutation 229 IX. PRIVATE LI NGUISTS AND PUBLIC SPEAKERS 1. A Disease of the Intellect 245 2. Following Rules 247 3. Philosophical brvestigations § 243 251 4. The Private Language 255 s. The Epistemology of the Private Linguist 261 6. Wittgenstein's Criticism of the Private Language 264 7. 'Only I know' and 'Only I have' 272 X. 'A CLOUD OF PHILOSOPHY CONDENSED INTO A DROP OF GRAMMAR' 1. Can one know that one is in pain? 276 2. Self-consciousness: the overthrow of the Cartesian picture 278 3. The 'Inner' and the 'Outer' 284 4. Experience and its Natural Expression 291 5. Avowals and Descriptions 297 6. Objections and Deflections 302 XI. CRITERIA, REALISM, AND ANTI-REALISM 1 . The Origin of the Idea 307 2. Plotting the Contour-lines 310 3, Further Complications 318 4. Red Herrings: realism and anti-realism 322 INDEX 337 Background -- The 'preliminary' On Philosophy -- Philosophy And Illusion -- Philosophy As Critique And As Analysis -- Agreements And Disagreements -- The Grundgedanke Of The Tractatus -- The Laws Of Logic -- A Prelude To Conventionalism -- The Picture Theory Of Meaning -- The Metaphysics Of The Tractatus -- Connecting Language With Reality: The Role Of The Mind -- The Self Of Solipsism -- I Am My World' -- 'the Limits Of Language Mean The Limits Of My World' -- Later Years -- The Colour-exclusion Problem -- Dismantling The Tractatus -- The Brouwer Lecture -- Moving Off In Fresh Directions -- The Vienna Circle And Wittgenstein's Principle Of Verification -- A Kink In The Evolution Of Philosophy -- A Cure For The Sickness Of The Understanding -- Philosophy, Science, And Description -- Philosophy And Ordinary Language -- The Phenomenology And Sources Of Philosophical Illusion -- Systematic Philosophy -- Grammar -- The Autonomy Of Grammar -- Grammar And Metaphysics -- A Note On Kant And Wittgenstein -- Introduction -- From Transcendental Solipsism To Methodological Solipsism -- The Solipsist's Predicament: A Restatement And Second Diagnosis -- The Refutation -- A Disease Of The Intellect -- Following Rules -- Philosophical Rules -- Philosophical Investigations §243 -- The Private Language -- The Epistemology Of The Private Linguist -- Wittgenstein's Criticism Of The Private Language -- 'only I Know' And 'only I Have' -- Can One Know That One Is In Pain? -- Self-consciousness: The Overthrow Of The Cartesian Picture -- The 'inner' And The 'outer' -- Experience And Its Natural Expression -- Avowels And Descriptions -- Objections And Deflections -- The Origin Of The Idea -- Plottng The Contour-lines -- Further Complications -- Red Herrings: Realism And Anti-realism. P.m.s. Hacker. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Since the first publication of Insight and Illusion in l972, a wealth of Wittgenstein's writings have become accessible. Accordingly, in this edition Professor Hacker has rewritten six of his eleven original chapters and revised the others to incorporate the new abundant material. Insight and Illusion now fully clarifies the historical backgrounds of Wittgenstein's highly different masterpieces, the Tractatus and the Investigations, and traces the evolution of Wittgenstein's thought. Hacker explains all of Wittgenstein's writings in detail, focusing on his critique of metaphysics, his famous "private language argument," and his account of self-consciousness.

Since the first edition in 1972, a wealth of Wittgenstein's writings has become accessible. This revised edition incorporates much new material and extensive changes and re-evaluations. An examination of Wittgenstein's thought from "Tractatus" to his later "mature" phase. This text is a reprint of the corrected second edition which includes extensive revisions.