Joseph Agassi 
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations 
An Attempt at a Critical Rationalist Appraisal

This book collects 13 papers that explore Wittgenstein’s philosophy throughout the different stages of his career. The author writes from the viewpoint of critical rationalism. The tone of his analysis is friendly and appreciative yet critical.

Of these papers, seven are on the background to the philosophy of Wittgenstein. Five papers examine different aspects of it: one on the philosophy of young Wittgenstein, one on his transitional period, and the final three on the philosophy of mature Wittgenstein, chiefly his Philosophical Investigations. The last of these papers, which serves as the concluding chapter, concerns the analytical school of philosophy that grew chiefly under its influence.

Wittgenstein’s posthumous Philosophical Investigations ignores formal languages while retaining the view of metaphysics as meaningless — declaring that all languages are metaphysics-free. It was very popular in the middle of the twentieth century. Now it is passé. Wittgenstein hadhoped to dissolve all philosophical disputes, yet he generated a new kind of dispute. His claim to have improved the philosophy of life is awkward just because he prevented philosophical discussion from the ability to achieve that: he cut the branch on which he was sitting. This, according to the author, is the most serious critique of Wittgenstein.

Table of Content

Preface.- Chapter 1. Background.- Chapter 2. A History of Anti-Metaphysics.- Chapter 3. The waning of essentialism.- Chapter 4. Logic and Mathematics.- Chapter 5. Logic and Language.- Chapter 6. Frege.- Chapter 7. Russell.- Chapter 8. Young Wittgenstein.- Chapter 9. Interim period: Carnap versus Popper.- Chapter 10. Ordinary Language Analysis.- Chapter 11. The Message of Philosophical Investigations.- Chapter 12. Analysis of Analysis.- Chapter 13. Conclusion: The Place of Wittgenstein.- References.- Index of Names.