Wittgenstein and the Limits of Language (Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Philosophy)

The limit of language is one of the most pervasive notions found in Wittgenstein’s work, both in his early Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and his later writings. Moreover, the idea of a limit of language is intimately related to important scholarly debates on Wittgenstein’s philosophy, such as the debate between the so-called traditional and resolute interpretations, Wittgenstein’s stance on transcendental idealism, and the philosophical import of Wittgenstein’s latest work On Certainty . This collection includes thirteen original essays that provide a comprehensive overview of the various ways in which Wittgenstein appeals to the limit of language at different stages of his philosophical development. The essays connect the idea of a limit of language to the most important themes discussed by Wittgenstein―his conception of logic and grammar, the method of philosophy, the nature of the subject, and the foundations of knowledge―as well as his views on ethics, aesthetics, and religion. The essays also relate Wittgenstein’s thought to his contemporaries, including Carnap, Frege, Heidegger, Levinas, and Moore. The limit of language is one of the most pervasive notions found in Wittgenstein’s work, both in his early Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and his later writings. Moreover, the idea of a limit of language is intimately related to important scholarly debates on Wittgenstein’s philosophy, such as the debate between the so-called traditional and resolute interpretations, Wittgenstein’s stance on transcendental idealism, and the philosophical import of Wittgenstein’s latest work, On Certainty. This collection includes twelve original essays that provide a comprehensive overview of the various ways in which Wittgenstein appeals to the limit of language at different stages of his philosophical development. The essays connect the idea of a limit of language to the most important themes discussed by Wittgenstein – his conception of logic and grammar, the method of philosophy, the nature of the subject, and the foundations of knowledge – as well as his views on ethics, aesthetics, and religion. The essays also relate Wittgenstein’s thought to his contemporaries, including Carnap, Frege, Heidegger, Levinas, and Moore. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Abbreviations of Works by Wittgenstein 8 Acknowledgements 11 Introduction 12 Part I Logic, Self, and Value in Wittgenstein’s Early Philosophy 36 1 The Bounds of Nonsense 38 2 Solipsism and the Graspability of Fact 57 3 Wittgenstein and Levinas on the Transcendentality of Ethics 76 Part II Grammar, Linguistic Community, and Value in Wittgenstein’s Later Philosophy 102 4 “We Can Go No Further”: Meaning, Use, and the Limits of Language 104 5 Frege, Carnap, and the Limits of Asserting 126 6 On Being Resolute 144 7 Moore’s Paradox and Limits in Language Use 170 8 Who Are “We” for Wittgenstein? 183 9 Animal Consciousness – A Limit of Language? 208 10 The Limits of Language in Wittgensteinian Philosophy of Religion 234 11 Measure for Measure: Wittgenstein’s Critique of the Augustinian Picture of Music 256 12 Literature as the Measure of Our Lives 281 Notes on Contributors 299 Index 302 "The limit of language is one of the most pervasive notions found in Wittgenstein's work, both in his early Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and his later writings. Moreover, the idea of a limit of language is intimately related to important scholarly debates on Wittgenstein's philosophy, such as the debate between the so-called traditional and resolute interpretations, Wittgenstein's stance on transcendental idealism, and the philosophical import of Wittgenstein's latest work On Certainty. This collection includes thirteen original essays that provide a comprehensive overview of the various ways in which Wittgenstein appeals to the limit of language at different stages of his philosophical development. The essays connect the idea of a limit of language to the most important themes discussed by Wittgenstein-his conception of logic and grammar, the method of philosophy, the nature of the subject, and the foundations of knowledge-as well as his views on ethics, aesthetics, and religion. The essays also relate Wittgenstein's thought to his contemporaries, including Carnap, Frege, Heidegger, Levinas, Moore, and Russell"-- Provided by publisher