Single Idea 22490

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 5. Linguistic Analysis]

Full Idea

What we do is to bring words back from their metaphysical to their everyday use.

Gist of Idea

Bring words back from metaphysics to everyday use

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Investigations [1952], 116), quoted by Philippa Foot - Natural Goodness 7 n16

Book Reference

Foot,Philippa: 'Natural Goodness' [OUP 2003], p.108


A Reaction

A germ of ordinary language philosophy. It is wrong to think that metaphysics must be studied in the usages of ordinary language, but I strongly believe that words like 'essence' or 'objectivity' should retain their normal meaning when philosophising.