Single Idea 6165

[catalogued under 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 10. Rule Following]

Full Idea

Paradox: no course of action could be determined by a rule, because every course of action can be made out to accord with the rule. Answer: if everything can accord with the rule, then everything can conflict with it, so there is no accord or conflict.

Gist of Idea

Every course of action can either accord or conflict with a rule, so there is no accord or conflict

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Investigations [1952], §201)

Book Reference

Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Philosophical Investigations', ed/tr. Anscombe,E. [Blackwell 1972], p.81


A Reaction

This is a very interesting claim which goes beyond the private language question. It seems to imply, for example, Dancy's 'Particularism' about morality, which is a general rejection of rules and principles in moral thought.