New Philosophy In The Later Wittgenstein Ordinary Language Analysis And Criticism

Wittgenstein has a specially important influence on modern British and America analytic philosophy. G. Baker and P. Hacker, two British scholars, have pointed out: "In British philosophy history, Wittgenstein symbolizes a fantasy and his thoughts is a milestone in accordance with which later philosophers mark their own position. " Late in his philosophical study, Wittgenstein reflectes on and criticizes the traditional metaphysical theory thoroughly. As to the nature of philosophy itself, he breaks the traditional theoretic and systematic foundationalistic concept of philosophy. He insistes that philosophy is only an activity to clear the meaning of ordinary language. It does not offer the knowledge about the substantial world, but attempts to attain a sort of holistic synopsis of the usage of ordinary language. So, Wittgenstein initiated ordinary language philosophy.The thoughts of Wittgenstein' s later philosophy are effectuated in many important philosophy themes. In the discussion about private language, through detailed analysis on the ordinary usage of the language expressions such as "ache" , Wittgenstein discloses the error of the conception about the "privacy" of the inner experience, which is popular with the scholars who uphold private language, and he also discloses the impossibility of inner referential definition. Thus he severely criticizes the traditional thought of body-heart dualism behind the conception of private language. As regards the question about the certainty of knowledge of the outer world, through the analysis on the usage of the expressions such as "know " , "doubt" , Wittgenstein criticizes the both traditional ideas of skepticism and substantial ism. He pointes out that the language-game of doubt itself presupposes certainty , and the foot of the certainty is not man' s thought andjudgement, but man' s immediate activity.Wittgenstein' s later philosophy thoughts have an important value in modern philosophy. His new interpretation of the characteristic of philosophy responds to the ideas of Nietzsche and Heidergger against the traditional metaphysics. They combined to herald and inspire the advent of the post-modern philosophy or the "post-philosophical culture" (Rorty).