Wittgenstein's Blue Book

The Blue Book (1933-1934) is a pivotal transitional work between Wittgenstein's early Tractatus and his later Philosophical Investigations. It investigates how language actually works, challenging the assumption that meaning resides in mysterious mental processes and arguing instead that the meaning of a word is determined by its use. Through careful grammatical investigation, Wittgenstein aims to dissolve philosophical puzzles by showing that many problems arise from misunderstanding how our language functions.

6 sections ยท 26 lessons

Course outline

Language Foundations

  1. The Puzzle of Meaning
  2. Defining with Words
  3. The Limits of Pointing
  4. Meaning Is Use
  5. Language Games
  6. Language Foundations

Philosophical Errors

  1. The Craving for Generality
  2. Family Resemblances
  3. Philosophy as Description
  4. The Object Temptation
  5. Philosophical Errors

Rethinking Mind

  1. Against Hidden Processes
  2. Thinking and Signs
  3. Mental Images Demystified
  4. Understanding as Ability
  5. Rethinking Mind

Psychological Grammar

  1. Expecting Without Essence
  2. Wishing Reconsidered
  3. Criteria vs. Symptoms
  4. Following Rules
  5. The Social Basis of Rules
  6. Psychological Grammar

Self and Solipsism

  1. Two Uses of 'I'
  2. The Cartesian Illusion
  3. The Solipsist's Confusion
  4. Personal Identity
  5. Self and Solipsism

Philosophical Therapy

  1. Grammar Before Science
  2. Language Lives in Systems
  3. Breaking the Spell
  4. A New Method
  5. Philosophical Therapy

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