Wittgenstein: Language, World, and Ethics

Ludwig Wittgenstein is an outstanding and prominent figure, not only in philosophy, but also in contemporary culture in general. It is no coincidence that he attracts the attention of writers, artists, and filmmakers. For philosophers, however, Wittgenstein is important because he has largely shaped the face of modern philosophy. In terms of importance, Wittgenstein can be compared to such thinkers as Kant, Hegel or Nietzsche. It was thanks to him that the so-called “linguistic turn” took place in philosophy and in the humanities in the twentieth century. Indeed, according to Wittgenstein, understanding the nature of our language is the key to our understanding of the world, ourselves, and the meaning of our lives. Whether in the trenches of World War I, in Cambridge, or in a lonely cabin on a Norwegian fjord, Wittgenstein never stopped grappling with the philosophical problems that plagued him, never satisfied with the results he achieved. In this sense, he was the tragic figure of an intellectual hero, confronting alone the complexity and confusion of the world. In many ways, this also predetermined the inimitable style of his philosophizing – an agonizing dialogue with himself in which clarity and relief come only sporadically. Needless to say, during his lifetime he was called a genius. Since then, many of his examples (a talking lion, a duck-rabbit illusion, a beetle in a box) have become memes and part of philosophical folklore, while his concepts (“language games”, “family resemblance”, “life forms”) became colloquialisms. All modern philosophy can be defined as “after Wittgenstein” philosophy. An acquaintance with Wittgenstein’s main ideas can help us understand the way in which contemporary culture and society self-reflect. This course focuses on the “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus” and the “Philosophical Investigations”. Its main topics are language, knowledge of the world, the philosophical method, and ethics. Moreover, the course considers the influence of music and fiction on Wittgenstein’s philosophical ideas. No prior training or knowledge of philosophy required.