When I came home I expected a surprise and there was no surprise for me, so of course, I was surprised.
ludwig Wittgensteinquotes
1889 - 1951
With his fame spreading far beyond academia, Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) is considered one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century, and his work central to analytic philosophy. Poets, playwrights, filmmakers, and artists of all kinds have been fascinated by the British philosopher’s work and charismatic personality. Though suicide tempted him in life, when he did die from prostate cancer in 1951, Wittgenstein’s last words were, “Tell them I’ve had a wonderful life.”
After studying aerodynamics and reading works of Bertrand Russell, Wittgenstein became obsessed with logic. He went to Trinity College to study under Russell and they formed a strong bond. He wrote voraciously at this time and developed what came to be known as his “picture theory of meaning.” However, always the perfectionist, he published nothing.
Wittgenstein didn’t believe an honest philosopher should stay in academia, so he joined the military, worked as a gardener, and as a schoolmaster as well. “Genius or death” was his mantra. So strong was his stance that man must free himself from earthly desires and attain his genius at the expense of all else.
Obsessed with creating a work of genius, when Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus was published, he wrote that he had solved all the essential problems of philosophy. Later, he acknowledged there was more to know. Now, he viewed philosophy not as a construct of theories, but as an activity to clear up the misunderstandings of language. There is no correct doctrine, he said, only clear views (Philosophical Investigations). Most of his works were published posthumously, with many still awaiting publication.
Logic is not a theory but a reflection of the world.
Only let’s cut out the transcendental twaddle when the whole thing is as plain as a sock on the jaw.
In art it is hard to say anything as good as saying nothing.
Just improve yourself; that is the only thing you can do to better the world.
What I called jottings would not be a rendering of the text, not so to speak a translation with another symbolism. The text would not be stored up in the jottings. And why should it be stored up in our nervous system?
No one can think a thought for me in the way that no one can don my hat for me.
The work of art is the object seen sub specie aeternitatis; and the good life is the world seen sub specie aeternitatis. This is the connection between art and ethics. The usual way of looking at things sees objects as it were from the midst of them, the view sub specie aeternitatis from outside. In such a way that they have the whole world as background.
A philosopher who is not taking part in discussions is like a boxer who never goes into the ring.
If I wanted to eat an apple, and someone punched me in the stomach, taking away my appetite, then it was this punch that I originally wanted.