| The purpose of this study is to offer an assessment of the revolutionary nature of Wittgenstein's philosophy. Although one would hardly object to saying that his philosophy of language is by many standards innovative, to say the least, the point of emphasis has been long misplaced. One may attribute various misunderstandings of this seminal thought somehow to the cryptic and aphoristic style of his writings. Nonetheless, the heart of the matter is deeply philosophical. What is demanded then is a clear view of the nature of Wittgenstein's thought.;The present work consists of six chapters. Chapter One is concerned to show that it is imperative for post-Copernican critical philosophy to supersede the philosophic paradigm of the Enlightenment, Cartesianism and Kantianism. Chapter Two is mainly an exposition of Wittgenstein's logical critique of language in the Tractatus. Chapter Three calls attention to Wittgenstein's passage from the Tractatus to the Investigations, from the logical critique of language to the grammar of language. Chapter Four is intended to contrast the concept of language-games with the Cartesian sense of certainty. Chapter Five undertakes the task of showing how Wittgenstein eventually gives up on transcendentalism by casting light on the contrast between Kant and Wittgenstein. And lastly, Chapter Six argues that Wittgenstein's later philosophy is a version of post-Copernican critical philosophy.;In a word, one may say, Wittgenstein's philosophy is a critical philosophy aiming to explore a radically new dimension of philosophic activity. Its business, on Wittgenstein's interpretation, consists in "dissolving" instead of "solving" so-called philosophical problems. One may add that this linguistic version of critical philosophy, which puts forward clarification of language, is a noteworthy attempt to develop a new language of critical philosophy which has been to date set forth either transcendentally or dialectically. The prominent feature of Wittgenstein's critical philosophy is a great deal of emphasis on description, while keeping speculation or explanation from playing a role in clarifying the structure or workings of language. In this perspective, one might say, the critical philosophy of language is a viable option to transcendental or dialectical philosophy. It indeed provides us with a new critical method of discourse on the self as well as on the world. |
