Starting on September, 2, 2002

Reykjavik - Philosophy Department
University of Iceland

Introductory lectures on Wittgenstein's
Philosophical Investigations

Carlo Penco
Epistemology Section , Dpt.Philosophy, Univ. of Genoa

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• SCHEDULE of the course
• MAP of the Investigations
• SUMMARIES of (some) lessons
• MATERIAL to dowload or read

Save the forests! These remarks are for help in reading the Investigation. Therefore they are intended not for printing, but for reading them on the screen and thinking it over...

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Here you find a very schematic division of the Investigation for help in reading. See a more detailed guide (in .rtf) (in .pdf) given for teaching purposes; but also see other detailed divisions of paragraphs which you find in most of the exegetical commentaries. See Literature on Wittgenstein.

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I - LANGUAGE: CRITICISM TO THE TRADITION

1. names, sentences, and language games 1-64
meaning as use
criticism to logical atomism
2. predicates, sentences and rules 64-137
family resemblance predicates
philosophy as grammar

II - UNDERSTANDING AND RULE FOLLOWING

3. understending symbols and sequences-138-188
understanding: grammar and psychology
understanding a sequence given by a law
(for and against intuitionism)
4. interpreting and following a rule 189-242
rules and intentions
rule following is a social practice

III - MIND AND LANGUAGE 243-430

5. language and sensations 243-430
Criticism to private langugae
Attributing sensations (Colors, Pain)
Thinking
Consciousness
6. psychological verbs; intentions 431-693
Desire and expectations
Belief and reason
Intentional states

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Some topics from the lectures

1. Wittgenstein in context: inputs and outputs (file.rtf) - (file.pdf)
   • The story of the Investigations (file.htm)
   
   
2. Wittgenstein I and Wittgenstein II (file.rtf) (file.pdf)
   
3. Wittgenstein's Tractatus: short note on the concept of sense (file.htm)
   • bibliographical note on sense and meaning (file.htm)
4. Literature on Wittgenstein (file.htm)
   
   
5. Context Principle (file.htm) - Kripke's meter in Paris(file.htm)
   
6. family resemblance. - Frames (file.htm) - short note on Moses (file.htm)
   
7. Philosophy in PI and in TLP
   
8. Sense and understanding in Frege (and W.) (file.htm)
   
   
9. W. on the foundations of mathematics (file.htm)
   
10. Kripke on rule-following (file .htm)
    
11. short note on Private language argument (file.htm)
    
12. 
    
    
    
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    SOME INTERNET RESOURCES
    There are endless links to Wittgenstein's philosophy on the web, and it is very difficult to sort our some good or not-so-bad ones. Look on the web, but just be always very careful: you may find any sort of absurd and misleading pages on Wittgenstein.
    • Many links and information (mainly biographical) are given at L.W. page .
    • T.P. Uschanov has given a good list of links on Wittgenstein
    • You may find a basic presentation of Wittgenstein's ideas in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
      See expecially the paragraph "conception of philosophy". an "meaning".
    • Check also some basic information on Gottlob Frege
    
    
    ADVANCED READINGS
    • in (partial) defence of "augustinian" picture (John Perry)
    • Private language argument (Stewart Candlish)
    • Quine, Davidson and Wittgenstein on holism (Carlo Penco)
    • transparencies and text of the lesson on Tarski's theory of truth
      
    
    

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