What Wittgenstein Owed to Sraffa

Abstract

Previous discussions of the intellectual exchanges between these two men, including those by the present writer, have relied on the few, but generous acknowledgements by the former and the disclaimer by the latter that he said anything of particular novelty or importance. To some extent this was the remark of one conscious of his own intellectual superiority: since for him, as for Ramsey, much was indeed obvious that others found difficult. Wittgenstein was attracted by this type of mind, but he did not himself possess it. He loved rather to ruminate on a subject, and Keynes had already noted how he resented it when the brisk Bloomsburyites moved on, thinking a matter had already been dealt with. What was said in his conversations with Sraffa seemed for a long time irrecoverable but we now have a much better idea of the reactions of both men from letters and very recently — 2006 — memoranda that have resurfaced. These show in particular that the conversations could be of general interest, but are not particularly philosophical. Method, not subject-matter, was the chief focus for both men and is perhaps, in their two fields, their chief legacy.