Ludwig Wittgenstein and Us ‘Typical Western Scientists’

Abstract

The Philosophical Investigations (PI) stresses the role of the example in philosophy, and its procedure is itself intimately tied up with the example: from the very beginning, it puts specific examples of language use (philosophical, imaginary and everyday) at the center of philosophical attention. It argues for the fundamental position the example has in the learning and teaching of language and other activities: we learn by example, and even elementary concepts such as regularity (elementary for learning itself!) can be learnt by example (PI, §208). It reflects upon examples of how and how not to do philosophy; it wants to demonstrate apt philosophical methods by example itself (PI, §133).¹ The example achieved such central significance only in the works of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, such as The Big Typescript, The Blue Book, The Brown Book and the PI.²