Description
Book SynopsisWittgenstein is arguably the greatest philosopher of the last hundred years and scepticism is one of the central problems that modern philosophy faces. This collection is the first to be devoted to an examination of how that great philosopher''s work bears on this fundamental philosophical problem.
Wittgenstein''s reaction to scepticism is complex, articulating both a sense that sceptical problems are ultimately unreal and a sense that scepticism teaches us something about the fundamental character of the human predicament.
The essays, specially written for this collection by distinguished philosophers and commentators on Wittgenstein, explore that reaction, addressing, in particular, scepticism about the existence of the external world and of other minds. In doing so, it explores issues not only in theory of knowledge but also in metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, language, perception and literature, as well as raising questions about the nature of philosophy itself.
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION, Denis McManus; Chapter 1 WITTGENSTEINIAN CERTAINTIES, Crispin Wright; Chapter 2 SCEPTICISM AND PRAGMATISM, Akeel Bilgrami; Chapter 3 WITTGENSTEIN'S REFUTATION OF IDEALISM, Michael Williams; Chapter 4 VARIETIES OF SCEPTICISM, James Conant; Chapter 5 SOLIPSISM AND SCEPTICISM IN THE TRACTATUS, Denis McManus; Chapter 6 WITTGENSTEIN AND THE QUESTION OF LINGUISTIC IDEALISM, Ilham Dilman; Chapter 7 WHAT ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTS FOR?, Jane Heal; Chapter 8 UNDERSTANDING SCEPTICISM, Andrea Kern; Chapter 9 LIVING WITH THE PROBLEM OF THE OTHER, Edward Minar; Chapter 10 THE EVERYDAY ALTERNATIVE TO SCEPTICISM, Marie McGinn; Chapter 11 SCEPTICISM AND TRAGEDY, Anthony Palmer; Chapter 12 REPLY TO FOUR Chapter S, Stanley Cavell;
