Wittgenstein on Continental and Analytic Philosophy
Seoyeon Kim
At the family estate, summer 1917. Paul Wittgenstein is second from left; Ludwig Wittgenstein is at right. (Source : New York Times)
Ludwig Wittgenstein, a seminal philosopher with a mathematical background, is an essential figure within the analytic tradition. This philosophical perspective emphasises clarity, precision, and logical structure of arguments—a stark contrast to the more poetic and abstract nature of continental philosophy. Through his revolutionary ideas on language, notably the concept of “language games,” Wittgenstein challenged and refined the methodologies within analytic philosophy.
Analytic Philosophy and Logical Precision
Analytic philosophy, represented by philosophers like Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell, the father of propositional logic, seeks to model philosophy after the sciences, particularly mathematics. This discipline focuses on dissecting the logical structure of language and is committed to eliminating ambiguity to achieve a clearer philosophical discourse. Wittgenstein’s early work, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, is a paragon of analytic philosophy. In it, he developed the picture theory of language. He proposed that language functions as a logical mirror of reality, where linguistic propositions correspond directly to facts
Language Games and the Critique of Traditional Logic
However, Wittgenstein later critiqued his own early ideas in Philosophical Investigations. Here he introduced the concept of language games, arguing that the meaning and use of words are not fixed and vary in different contexts. Wittgenstein proposed that words cannot take a universal view’ instead, they are mere tools that operate within specific language games, each shaped by the interactions and cultural norms of the people using the language. He emphasized that words, as parts of language games, cannot convey the true, universal nature of concepts, thereby challenging the quest for definitive, communal definitions found in traditional logic of terms such as justice or liberty.