Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
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Summary
One of the greatest philosophical works of all time, in a new translation for the twenty-first century
'The final philosopher to perform the most profound surgery on philosophy ... concise yet exceptionally clear' Ai Weiwei
Widely regarded as one of the most influential philosophical works of the twentieth century, Ludwig Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus is a succinct yet wide-ranging exploration of language and logic; of science and mysticism; of what can be said, and what can only be shown. Its austere beauty – along with its famous ‘picture theory’ of meaning – has inspired generations of thinkers, artists, novelists and musicians. In a series of short, bold statements, Wittgenstein seeks to define the limits of meaningful expression. Originally published in the early 1920s, it is the only book-length work the renowned philosopher published in his lifetime.
In this thrilling new translation, accompanied by a lively introduction by Jan Zwicky, Alexander Booth displays an extraordinary sensitivity to the subtle influence on Wittgenstein's gem-like prose – at once specialist and, often, remarkably plain-spoken – of his background in mechanical engineering, while at the same time highlighting the underlying poetry of this seminal text.
'The final philosopher to perform the most profound surgery on philosophy ... concise yet exceptionally clear' Ai Weiwei
Widely regarded as one of the most influential philosophical works of the twentieth century, Ludwig Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus is a succinct yet wide-ranging exploration of language and logic; of science and mysticism; of what can be said, and what can only be shown. Its austere beauty – along with its famous ‘picture theory’ of meaning – has inspired generations of thinkers, artists, novelists and musicians. In a series of short, bold statements, Wittgenstein seeks to define the limits of meaningful expression. Originally published in the early 1920s, it is the only book-length work the renowned philosopher published in his lifetime.
In this thrilling new translation, accompanied by a lively introduction by Jan Zwicky, Alexander Booth displays an extraordinary sensitivity to the subtle influence on Wittgenstein's gem-like prose – at once specialist and, often, remarkably plain-spoken – of his background in mechanical engineering, while at the same time highlighting the underlying poetry of this seminal text.
Reviews
Wittgenstein undoubtedly stands as the final philosopher to perform the most profound surgery on philosophy and a figure that has the greatest influence on my own perspective … In Wittgenstein's deconstruction of philosophy of language, encompassing aesthetics, we attain a seemingly concise yet exceptionally clear comprehension of the vocabulary that shapes human thought. This enduring effort remains remarkably relevant and significant in our present reality. Its impact lies in enhancing the precision of our daily thoughts, emotions, and perspectives, aligning them more closely with language's crucial function: the clear and precise expression of what can be articulated while preserving silence for that which eludes expression
Ai Weiwei