Mentor/s
Dr. Gordon Purves
Participation Type
Paper Talk
Abstract
In this paper I will argue for an interpretation of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as a work of empiricism, as well as an argument for his Philosophical Investigations as a work of pragmatism, and how these two interpretations apply to Wittgenstein’s formulation of solipsism. Specifically, I will show how an empiricist understanding of the Tractatus leads Wittgenstein to his formulation of solipsism, which is untenable because it is unsayable. Similarly, I will show how a pragmatic understanding of the Investigations gives Wittgenstein a “way out” of his Tractarian solipsism, specifically with his formation of the private language argument as a direct response to his earlier views on solipsism.
Location
Session 3: Digital Commons & Martire Room 259
Start Day/Time
4-25-2024 11:00 AM
End Day/Time
4-25-2024 12:15 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Wittgenstein, Empiricism, and Pragmatism: Examining the Evolution of Wittgensteinian Solipsism
Session 3: Digital Commons & Martire Room 259
In this paper I will argue for an interpretation of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as a work of empiricism, as well as an argument for his Philosophical Investigations as a work of pragmatism, and how these two interpretations apply to Wittgenstein’s formulation of solipsism. Specifically, I will show how an empiricist understanding of the Tractatus leads Wittgenstein to his formulation of solipsism, which is untenable because it is unsayable. Similarly, I will show how a pragmatic understanding of the Investigations gives Wittgenstein a “way out” of his Tractarian solipsism, specifically with his formation of the private language argument as a direct response to his earlier views on solipsism.
Students' Information
Cody Davis - Philosophy/Political Science double major, Honors minor, Spring 2024.