The fate of wonder : Wittgenstein's critique of metaphysics and modernity / Kevin M. Cahill.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cahill, Kevin M. (Professor of Philosophy)

Series:

Columbia themes in philosophy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951.

Wittgenstein, Ludwig.

Physical Description:

xii, 253 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, [2011]

Summary:

Doubt Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction 1

1.1 Background to the central questions and claims 1

1.2 Methodological Issues A: resolute and therapeutic readings; "early" and "later" Wittgenstein; the "constancy" of Wittgenstein's cultural views; the scope of the book; a point about Heidegger; a point about Charles Taylor 5

1.3 Methodological Issues B: on the use of the Nachlass and other "nontext" sources for interpreting Wittgenstein 10

1.4 Overview of the book 12

Part I

1 Interpreting the Tractatus 19

1.1 The problem of ethics and nonsense in the Tractatus 19

1.2 The "ineffabilist" reading of the Tractatus 21

1.3 Schopenhauer and the ineffabilist reading 26

1.4 Diamond and Conant's resolute reading of the Tractatus 30

1.5 "Intention and ethics": Early Wittgenstein and the logical positivists on the nature of ethical utterances 36

2 The Ethical Purpose of the Tractatus 42

2.1 A remaining task for resolute readings 42

2.2 Conveying intention in the context of the Tractatus 44

2.3 Overview of anxiety, the "they," and authenticity in Being and Time 46

2.4 The Tractatus and cultural critique 50

2.5 The law of causality, mechanics, and "wonder at the existence of the world" 51

2.6 Wonder and die ganze moderne Weltanschauung 54

2.7 Wonder, anxiety, and authenticity 59

2.8 A possible problem with the relation between wonder and anxiety 62

2.9 Authenticity and truth in the Tractatus and Being and Time 68

2.10 What did Wittgenstein imagine that Heidegger meant? 71

2.11 A crucial difference between the ethical point of the Tractatus and authenticity in Being and Time 75

2.12 Kremer and Conant on the ethical point of the Tractatus 76

2.13 A problem with Kremer's and Conant's views 81

2.14 The ambitions of the Tractatus 85

3 A Resolute Failure 88

3.1 A significant difference between the Tractatus and Being and Time that points to a more significant underlying convergence 88

3.2 The method of the Tractatus and the essence of language 90

Conclusion to Part I 99

Part II

4 The Concept of Progress in Wittgensteins Thought 107

4.1 Introduction 107

4.2 Some preliminary literary critical questions concerning the motto to the Investigations 108

4.3 One sense of progress in the Investigations 110

4.4 The relevance of the remarks on rule-following 113

4.5 Rule-following, progress and the disengaged view of rationality 115

5 The Truly Apocalyptic View 125

5.1 Preliminary observations 125

5.2 Spengler's influence on Wittgenstein 117

5.3 Wittgenstein is not a metaphysical pessimist (or optimist) 131

5.4 Cultural decline and the disengaged view 134

5.5 Wittgenstein and religion 143

5.6 Wittgenstein and conservatism 148

6 The Fate of Metaphysics 151

6.1 Introduction 151

6.2 Presentation and criticism of McDowell's view 152

6.3 Presentation of Cavell's view 155

6.4 Cavell and the significance of practices in Wittgenstein 158

6.5 Some evidence for and against Cavell (and McDowell) 162

6.6 Wittgenstein and the end of metaphysics 165.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [231]-241) and index.

ISBN:

9780231158008

0231158009

9780231528115

0231528116

OCLC:

702357858