Analysis Of Family Resemblance

"Linguistic turn" is the revolutionary turning point of western philosophy in the 20th century, which result out the massive movement of analytical philosophy. Ludwig Wittgenstein(1889-1951), as an important representative of analytical Philosophy, considered that problems of traditional philosophy originated from misunderstanding and misuse language, and that problems of Philosophy could be resolved and eliminated by analyzing language, for problems of Philosophy were problems of language in the final analysis..However, he turned his attention to the analysis of words and expressions for every day use in the latter one, and stressed that words and expressions could be meaningful only when they were used, with his attention on the use of them. Using"the theory of language-game", he intended to resolve problems of philosophy originating from misunderstanding words and expressions for every day use. Wittgenstein claims that when we try to find a commonality in everything that we call by some particular words, we discover that there is no essential commonality, but a family" of commonalities, shared by some, not by all. Many of people argument disagreeing with Ludwig Wittgenstein's use of the word " family resemblance" as taken in an antiessentialist context. I will argue that, though some of these articles help us to understand Wittgenstein's term and even to expand its use.Based on "family resemblance", the author analyzes Wittgenstein's philosophical thought with three parts, in the present paper. Part I:the turning point in Western Philosophy. In this part, what are introduced are the background of Wittgenstein's philosophical thought, and the purpose and tasks of Wittgenstein's criticism of language. Part II:the concepts of family resemblance. What are mainly stated here are the basic contents and the background of the concept. Partâ…¢:the argumentations about family resemblance. What are mainly introduced some argumentations base on family resemblance.