Wittgenstein's Lectures: Cambridge, 1932-1935 (Great Books in Philosophy) [Paperback]

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Author), Margaret MacDonald (Author), Alice Ambrose (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2001 | ISBN-10: 1573928755 | ISBN-13: 978-1573928755 | Edition: Subsequent

Philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein had an enormous influence on twentieth-century philosophy even though only one of his works, the famous "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus", was published in his lifetime. Beyond this publication, the impact of his thought was mainly conveyed to a small circle of students through his lectures at Cambridge University. Fortunately, many of his ideas have survived in both the dictations that were subsequently published, and the notes taken by his students, among them Alice Ambrose and the late Margaret Macdonald, from 1932 to 1935. These notes, now edited by Professor Ambrose, are here published, and they shed much light on Wittgenstein's philosophical development. Among the topics considered are the meaning of a word and its relation to common usage, rules of grammar and their relation to fact, the grammar of first person statements, language games, and the nature of philosophy. This volume is indispensable to any serious discussion of Wittgenstein's work.

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About the Author

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) was arguably the most influential philosopher of the twentieth century. He was born in Vienna, but studied and practiced philosophy in Great Britain. He was a professor of philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947. He worked in—and transformed—the fields of logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; Subsequent edition (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573928755
• ISBN-13: 978-1573928755
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #572,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Needed for every work but the PI, March 5, 2010

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John T. O. Connor - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wittgenstein's Lectures: Cambridge, 1932-1935 (Great Books in Philosophy) (Paperback)

This selection of notes is a mandatory purchase for anyone interested in Wittgenstein. It is a thorough introduction to the style of Ludwig, and the notes herein clarify immensely upon what was written in the Tractatus, the Philosophical Remarks, the Philosophical Grammar, and the Blue and Brown Books. Roughly everything but the Philosophical Investigations.

Ambrose concludes in her introduction that what is contained is substantially correct. Her least valued lectures, the ones on Philosophy and Philosophy for Mathematicians, are so because she mostly copied what Wittgenstein said verbatim-- hardly a fault in my view. However, these two sets of lectures are better served as compliments to the Philosophical Remarks (and TLP) and Grammar, respectively.

The Yellow Book is ample by its self, however, and is as cogent of an introduction to Wittgenstein as the Blue and Brown Books. The other set of lectures (no title, just years) are equally a breeze to read, but I have yet to put them under my thumb in the literature of Wittgenstein. Regardless, their addition makes this book a fountain of ideas.

5 Stars.