The Anti-essentialism Thought Of Wittgenstein

To search things' essence is a characteristic question in west philosiphy, it is a important ontological issue. Traditional essentialism consider things all bear its' essence, which is a absolute and perfect(ideal) form, which is real and eternal without a doubt. Such absolute essentialism occur a risk consequentially-how can we achieve things' essence which transcend the context of our experience scope? It leads to dogmatism easily. Therefore, the criticism aimed at it appears since Britainic empiricism in the 17th century, after that, the analytical philosophy in the 20th century made a good effort prominently in the Anti-essentialism. As the head of the analytical philosophy, Wittgenstein's thought is inimitable—he persisted in essentialism in Tractatus Logico-philosophy, but he turned his steps to Anti-essentialism in Philosophical Investigation, so this essay tries to expatiate on the proprietary thought. His points of view on Language-games, Family resemblance and Rule-following opened out the thought of Anti-essentialism basically, the essay will analyze the ideas detailedly, at the same time, it points out that Wittgenstein didn't persist in the picture corresponding to reality anymore, instead of it, he emphasized the meaning of language is it's usage, accordingly, the usage of essence need extricate itself from the absoluteness and return to opposite, ordinary kingdom. In this way, Wittgenstein avoided the risk of traditional essentialism and gave a new birth to the concept of essence. Moreover, the Anti-essentialism of Wittgenstein led to a trend of thought of Postmordenism.