Overview

Paradox and Platitude in Wittgenstein's Philosophy is a concise and readable study of five intertwined themes at the heart of Wittgenstein's thought, written by one of his most eminent interpreters. David Pears offers penetrating investigations and lucid explications of some of the most influential and yet puzzling writings of twentieth-century philosophy. He focuses on the idea of language as a picture of the world; the phenomenon of linguistic regularity; the famous 'private language argument'; logical necessity; and ego and the self.

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9780199550500

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Reviews

This book is a subtle and scholarly work. Any student of Wittgenstein can expect to profit from a careful study of it. Arif Ahmed MIND [a] masterly account Quassim Cassam, Times Literary Supplement This is David Pears' revisiting of Wittgenstein's philosophy in five interrelated themes - the pictorial character of language, the phenomenon of linguistic regularity, the 'private language argument', logical necessity, and ego. The book therefore covers, as Pears writes, the same ground as his Wittgensteing (1971), but in greater depth and detail; and, I would add, with the familiarity and expertise of someone who has travelled long and deep with Wittgenstein...the positive direction of Wittgenstein's philosophy shines through. Perhaps because David Pears has taken us through some of the most tenacious problems in that philosophy, and has shown us the Wittgensteinian imagination at work - and we saw that it was good. Daniele Moyal-Sharrock, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

This book is a subtle and scholarly work. Any student of Wittgenstein can expect to profit from a careful study of it. Arif Ahmed MIND [a] masterly account Quassim Cassam, Times Literary Supplement This is David Pears' revisiting of Wittgenstein's philosophy in five interrelated themes - the pictorial character of language, the phenomenon of linguistic regularity, the 'private language argument', logical necessity, and ego. The book therefore covers, as Pears writes, the same ground as his Wittgensteing (1971), but in greater depth and detail; and, I would add, with the familiarity and expertise of someone who has travelled long and deep with Wittgenstein...the positive direction of Wittgenstein's philosophy shines through. Perhaps because David Pears has taken us through some of the most tenacious problems in that philosophy, and has shown us the Wittgensteinian imagination at work - and we saw that it was good. Daniele Moyal-Sharrock, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

Author Information

David Pears is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford

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