The Blue and Brown Books [Paperback]

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0061312118 | ISBN-13: 978-0061312113 | Publication Date: January 1, 1965

These works, as the sub-title makes clear, are unfinished sketches for Philosophical Investigations, possibly the most important and influential philosophical work of modern times. The 'Blue Book' is a set of notes dictated to Witgenstein's Cambridge students in 1933-1934: the 'Brown Book' was a draft for what eventually became the growth of the first part of Philosophical Investigations. This book reveals the germination and growth of the ideas which found their final expression in Witgenstein's later work. It is indispensable therefore to students of Witgenstein's thought and to all those who wish to study at first-hand the mental processes of a thinker who fundamentally changed the course of modern philosophy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There could be no better introduction to Wittgenstein's thought... Every serious student of philosophy will want to own this volume." -- Max Black

"These studies have exercised considerable influence on the development of contemporary English philosophy." -- The Heythrop Journal, Oxford

About the Author

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was born in Austria and studied at Cambridge under Bertrand Russell. He volunteered to serve in the Austrian army at the outbreak of World War I, and in 1918 was captured and sent to a prison camp in Italy, where he finished his masterpiece, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, one of the most important philosophical works of all time. After the war Wittgenstein eventually returned to Cambridge to teach.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper Torchbooks (January 1, 1965)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061312118
• ISBN-13: 978-0061312113
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Precursor to the Investigations, February 8, 2005

By 

Oran Magal "philosophy grad student" (Tel Aviv, Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blue and Brown Books (Paperback)

The so-called "Blue and Brown Books" are in fact Wittgenstein's notes in the period leading up to the publication of his Magnum Opus, the "Philosophical Investigations". As I understand, these notes (as well as many other collections of Wittgenstein's notes that were published postthumously) were never intended to be published. The reason almost all of Wittgenstein's notes were published is his enormous importance in 20th century philosophy and the difficulty in fully understanding his positions.

Ultimately, to understand Wittgenstein one must read the "Philosophical Investigations"; this volume can only assist an advanced student of Wittgenstein in coming to terms with his philosophy, and cannot, in my opinion, serve as introduction to the investigations. Instead, I suggest reading the Investigations along with an introductory or exegetical text such as A. Kenny's "Wittgenstein" or P.M.S. Hacker's "Insight and Illusion", or any number of other texts written with the same purpose in mind.

To sum up: this book is recommended for advanced students as an ancillary to the "Investigations", not as a separate text.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Foundations of the Philosophical Investigations, December 14, 1998

By 

dionysus - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue and Brown Books (Paperback)

This volume is an excellent introduction to themes developed in the Philosophical Investigations. Many of the ideas of Wittgenstein's later thought are already here in their final form; others develop through the two very differrent books included in this one volume. Because some of his important views are not mentioned in either the blue or brown books, the best way to discover his views is to read the Philosophical Investigations.

30 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BEGINNERS, July 21, 1999

By 

William Meisel (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blue and Brown Books (Paperback)

Many people claim that this is a good introduction to Wittgenstein's later thought but I have found it quite difficult to follow (even though it PRECEDED Philosophical Investigations.) I would start with Wittgenstein's ON CERTAINTY, ironically his "last" work.