Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes (Paperback)) - Softcover

Strathern, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1566631319 ISBN 13: 9781566631310

Publisher: Ivan R. Dee Publisher, 1996

Synopsis

"Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character....I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization."--Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe. "Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them....I find them hard to stop reading."--Richard Bernstein, New York Times. "Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."--Jim Holt, Wall Street Journal. These brief and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in entertaining and accessible fashion. Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensive and interesting to almost everyone. Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented.

About this title

About the Author

Paul Strathern is author of the popular and critically acclaimed Philosophers in 90 Minutes series. Highlights from the series include Nietzsche in 90 Minutes, Aristotle in 90 Minutes, and Plato in 90 Minutes. Mr. Strathern has lectured in philosophy and mathematics and now lives and writes in London. A former Somerset Maugham prize winner, he is also the author of books on history and travel as well as five novels. His articles have appeared in a great many newspapers, including the Observer (London) and the Irish Times. His own degree in philosophy came from Trinity College, Dublin.

From the Back Cover

"If we accept Wittgenstein's word for it", Paul Strathern writes, "he is the last philosopher. In his view, philosophy in the traditional sense was finished". Ludwig Wittgenstein was a superb logician who distrusted language and sought to solve the problems of philosophy by reducing them to logic. All else - metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, finally even philosophy itself - was excluded. They were all wrong, he argued. "What we cannot speak about", he declared, "we must pass over in silence". In Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Wittgenstein's life and ideas, and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Wittgenstein's work; a brief list of suggested reading for those who wish to push further; and chronologies that place Wittgenstein within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ivan R. Dee Publisher
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 1566631319
• ISBN 13: 9781566631310
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 89