Wittgenstein’s Later Philosophy

Philosophy 6938

Eric Winsberg

INSTRUCTOR: Eric Winsberg
OFFICE: FAO 223
PHONE: 974-4635
E-MAIL: winsberg@chuma1.cas.usf.edu
OFFICE HOURS: TBA

TIME: Thursday 6pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The course will concentrate on the principal themes of Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations (first published in 1953 shortly after his death) which have proved so influential on subsequent work in the philosophies of language, mind and mathematics. We shall pay special attention to the sections on the "Augustinian picture" of language, names and ostensive definition, family resemblances, meaning and understanding, following a rule, privacy, avowals, self-knowledge and the problem of other minds, seeing and seeing as, and the nature of philosophy.

There will be an emphasis on a fairly careful textual study, but not to the exclusion of consideration of some of the more important recent secondary literature on Wittgenstein. We will not to take topics in the order in which they actually appear in the text.

Required Work: Seminar participation, seminar presentation, short weekly reaction papers, term paper.

Link to Important Notes

Required Texts:

Wittgenstein, Ludwig. The Philosophical Investigations. (any version is fine)

Kripke, Saul. Wittgenstein: On Rules and Private Language Harvard Univ Pr; ISBN: 0674954017 (SK)

McGinn, Marie. Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations (Routledge Philosophy Guidebooks) ISBN: 0415111919; (May 1997) (MM)

In addition to the PI, secondary sources will often quote passages from The Blue and Brown Books, Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics, Zettel, the Philosophical Grammer, On Certainty, and other posthumously published collections of W.’s writings. You may find it helpful to have access to these volumes in order to follow up on these references

In addition to the two secondary texts listed above, we will read chapters out of several other books, as well as articles from periodicals. If you can find these books, you may find them helpful as well, especially:

Wittgenstein: Meaning and Understanding. By P. M. S. Hacker and G.P. Baker. Blackwell Pub. ISBN: 0631130713; (June 2000)

Anthony Kenny: Wittgenstein

P.M.S. Hacker: Insight and Illusion

Colin McGinn: Wittgenstein on Meaning

Topics and Readings:

1. Understanding.

• §§138-84
• MM 82-98 (part of ch 3)
• Goldfarb "Wittgenstein on Understanding" in Midwest Studies in Philosophy 1992.

2. Following a rule.

• §§84-7, 185-242.
• SK chs. 2 and 3.

3. Following a rule continued.

• Wittgenstein's Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics, Third Edition, section VI, §§15-49;
• “Wittgenstein on Meaning”, Colin McGinn, ch1
• MM Ch #3. (the parts we didn’t read for week one)

4. Following a rule continued.

• “Wittgenstein on Meaning”, Colin McGinn, ch2
• Goldfarb "Kripke on Wittgenstein and Rules", Journal of Philosophy 1985

5. Language games.

• §§1-27, 43, 59-64.
• MM Ch 2. (up to p.61)
• Goldfarb "I want you to bring me a slab", Synthese 1983.

6. Names and naming.

• §§28-58.
• MM Ch2, remainder
• Baker and Hacker, ch.5, "Ostensive definition".

7. Family resemblances.

• §§65-88.
• Baker and Hacker, ch.10, "Family resemblance"

8. Private language.

· §§243-70.

· Anthony Kenny: Wittgenstein Ch.10.

· MM ch 4

9. Private language continued.

• Simon Blackburn "The Individual strikes back" Synthese 1984
• Crispin Wright "Does Philosophical Investigations I. 258-60 Suggest a Cogent Argument against Private Language?" in Pettit and McDowell, eds., Subject, Thought and Context.

10. Avowals.

• §§244-55 and 270-315. Investigations Part II, section ix,

• Hacker Insight and Illusion, ch.9.
• MM ch 5

11. Seeing and Seeing As.

• §§398-401, Part II, section xi
• MM chapter 6

12. The Nature of Philosophy.

• Preface, §§89-133, 192-196, 216, 251-255, 309, 464, 593, 599.
• MM chap 1
• Crispin Wright, “Wittgenstein on the foundations of mathematics”, ch 14.