PHILOSOPHY - Ludwig Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein was a philosopher obsessed with the difficulties of language, who wanted to help us find a way out of some of the muddles we get into with words.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Feel free to follow us at the links below:

CREDITS

Inspired by an essay by David Edmonds.

Produced in collaboration with Mad Adam

[Ardakapalasan]

"He inherited a lot of money" has to be the understatement of the century. He inherited the largest fortune in Austria and of the largest in Europe. He was rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

[Nif]

Words cannot describe the excitement I felt when I saw this on my subscribe box.

Then again, they really can't.

[lacanadienne]

"The limits of my language are the limits of my world"

[GrumpyOldMan]

1:10 people communicate ideas through pictures
4:04 language games
5:22 language as tool for self-understanding

[hkncnbc]

This channel feels like a catalouge where you can have some preinformation about philosophers and their interests, so you can pick one and start reading them !

[Albeit_Jordan]

1:47 - 2:04
I just love how we're given a visual representation of a concept that describes how the very exchange of language and ideas is processed as internal visual imagery of the mind.

[zRunes]

I've actually thought about these exact ideas a lot myself without knowing if there was a philosopher I could look to for more. This is really interesting.

[franceleeparis]

Wittgenstein would have loved today’s memes culture... which basically confirms his thoughts... a meme succinctly expresses what words cannot... he was ahead of his time..a man of the digital

[지혜의빛]

You explained Wittgenstein's philosophy very well. Thank you.

[spetsnaz]

I think this missed Wittgenstein's central point that the meaning of a word is its use in language.  If I say "pick up the red apple, " you know what I mean because the language is functional.  If I say "what is the soul?" then we have philosophical problem on our hands.  Wittgenstein believed that such questions were nonsense.

Our approach to understanding the physical world consists in asking questions about the nature of phenomenon and we encounter.  A questions like, what is red?, can be answered somewhat satisfactorily by giving an account of radiation, wavelengths, the way our eyes function and so forth.  We seem to be able to give an explanation.  When we apply similar questions to more abstract objects or concepts or to more fundamental phenomenon we find that no good explanation can be given.  We have reached the limits of language.  Yet philosophers try to reach further by creating grand theoretical frameworks aimed at somehow accessing reality as it really is.

The misapplication of questions was something Wittgenstein called the theoretical attitude.  When asking such a question we want the answer to give some new insight into the object.  The best we can do is to give an account of how the word is used in the language, an ostensive definition.  We want something deeper but you simply cannot go beneath language.

This view either does away with Platonism (the assertion that abstract objects and concepts like numbers and goodness exist independently of the human mind) or shows that language is limited in its ability to describe the platonic realm. Therefore Wittgenstein's philosophy dissolves much of philosophy by declaring the questions nonsense.

[stunningvoice]

Don't have the ability to Express my ideas and thoughts properly to others is my biggest problem that can't be solved, and when I thought I'm the only person who have that problem this video came out of nowhere to me.
Wittgenstein is my bro👊

[mirovitch]

Thank you so much for popularizing and democratizing philosophy. Alain, we are a big fan of you in Bangladesh. We sincerely express our gratitude to you for making these type quality materials available to us. As a result of YouTube community, knowledge is no longer a privilege of the wealthy few. Let the wisdom of philosophy be there for all to share....spread even to the poorest hut of Bangladesh.
-Love from Khulna, Bangladesh.

[AliceObscura]

Favorite Wittgenstein Quotations:

If a lion could speak, I would not be able to understand him.

A dog can expect his master, but he cannot expect him on Tuesday.

All problems of philosophy are problems of language.

Whereof one cannot speak, thereof must one remain silent.

[turdfurguzin]

My continued efforts to build my vocabulary are for this exact reason: I’m always trying to find better ways and words to express myself, so I can show others what I truly mean, in attempts to build deeper and stronger connections.

[capturedbykareem]

It's 2021. I'm a philosopher major and have just read thru many lecture slides, hardly understanding what Wittgenstein meant in his early and then late work. The "about face" he took on his stance in language. Watching this video, helped me understand it. Thank you so much.

[TomboTime]

I really appreciate the kind of subject matter Wittgenstein tackles here regarding language and misinterpretation. Communication can go wrong so damn often. People interpret simple compliments and offers to help as having sinister motives or double meanings, granted because they've been manipulated by language before, but they no longer associate these phrases with their true meaning. Comedy is in danger of censorship because people never understand the intent of jokes. People have become so judgmental and paranoid because they are so afraid of being manipulated or being taken as a fool, that they develop trust issues which interfere with their ability to make friends and thrive socially. In a situation like this, both sides need to take some form of responsibility. The speaker has to be more precise and clear when discussing his/her idea and the listener has to be more open-minded and considerate of the speaker; giving them the benefit of the doubt in order to uncover their true intention.

[burninglion]

I think this is why meme's are becoming a great way of communication.
You are amazing at the game of communication. Please keep it up.

[abcrane]

suicide of three brothers broke my heart rip to Ludwig and brothers, may they return to loving parents and a loving world

[andrehansson]

Since the video explains some basic threads of his personal life, it really should be mentioned he served for years as an officer in World War I, winning valor awards, being imprisoned - and writing much of Tractatus in the process. It is unlikely that such an experience did not affect his character and ideas at least as much as the other personal details covered.

[HishamY]

Please, more videos. These are immensely valuable. Thanks.