[Wittrs] Re: [C] Does The Tractatus Invalidate Itself?

  • From: "College Dropout John O'Connor" <sixminuteabs@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: wittrsamr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 14:45:43 -0500


Well, I've found the quote.  It is from the selected parts of the Yellow Book, 
found in Ambrose' Wittgenstein's Lectures 1932-1935.  In part two of the Yellow 
Book, lectures aside the dictation of the Blue Book, near the end of remark 12 
(top of page 64 for me):

Most of us think there is nonsense which makes sense and nonsense which does 
not- that it is nonsense in a different way to say "this is green and yellow at 
the same time" from saying "Ab sur ah".  But these are nonsense in the same 
sense, the only difference being in the jungle of the words.

Here we see that the first remark is a contradiction and the latter is... well, 
I have no idea.  Thus, in the term of 33-34, W was saying nonsense is nonsense 
is nonsense.  Thus, we are left with either showing or speaking clearly.

From my own readings, I think the 'early' and 'latter' Wittgenstein are 
speaking of different things.  Like, first he writes about calculus and then he 
writes about the history of mathematics that lead to the calculus.

As for Carroll or Wittgenstein, I have one quote that sums up art quite well:

"I think that an author who tries to 'explain' is exposing himself to a very 
great risk- the risk of confessing himself a failure.  For a work of art should 
speak for itself.  Yet much could be said on the other side; for it is also 
clear that a work of art is not a logical demonstration carrying its intention 
on the face of it."
-Joseph Conrad, 1924.

But maybe it is quite obvious in regards to Carroll.  It surely is not with the 
case of Wittgenstein.

Wittgenstein did remark that a whole lot of philosophical problems manifested 
themselves from the belief that everything that is beautiful must have 
something in common with other things that are beautiful.  We can think of 
nonsense as similar to beauty and goodness.  Like the word game or the word 
proposition.  So, degrees Febreze.

In C&V, in some remarks on the Gospels, W contemplates the difficulty or ease 
in understanding the Gospels.  He also remarked that what is most difficult of 
all is recognizing what is always before us.  I think there is a certain 
analogue to be made in reading the TLP with those cases.

Always a pleasure,
College Dropout John O'Connor
-- 
He lived a wonderful life.
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