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Single Idea 21683

[filed under theme 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 6. Fundamentals / d. Logical atoms ]

Full Idea

From an elementary proposition no other can be inferred.

Gist of Idea

Nothing can be inferred from an elementary proposition

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 5.134)

Book Ref

Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Pears)', ed/tr. Pears,D. /McGuinness,B. [RKP 1961], p.109

A Reaction

Russell was not so sure. This is the sort of remark that elicits from me the question that extravagent metaphysics also provokes - 'how on earth does he know what he claims to be true?'.

Related Ideas

Idea 21682 If a proposition is elementary, no other elementary proposition contradicts it [Wittgenstein]

Idea 21684 Atomic facts may be inferrable from others, but never from non-atomic facts [Russell]

The 24 ideas with the same theme [reality built up from the smallest components of logic]:

12502 Comparisons boil down to simple elements of sensation or reflection [Locke]
21684 Atomic facts may be inferrable from others, but never from non-atomic facts [Russell]
10968 Russell gave up logical atomism because of negative, general and belief propositions [Russell, by Read]
6113 To mean facts we assert them; to mean simples we name them [Russell]
6114 'Simples' are not experienced, but are inferred at the limits of analysis [Russell]
21722 Better to construct from what is known, than to infer what is unknown [Russell]
6419 In 1899-1900 I adopted the philosophy of logical atomism [Russell]
6438 Complex things can be known, but not simple things [Russell]
21708 Russell's new logical atomist was of particulars, universals and facts (not platonic propositions) [Russell, by Linsky,B]
19051 Russell's atomic facts are actually compounds, and his true logical atoms are sense data [Russell, by Quine]
6089 Logical atomism aims at logical atoms as the last residue of analysis [Russell]
6100 Once you have enumerated all the atomic facts, there is a further fact that those are all the facts [Russell]
6105 Logical atoms aims to get down to ultimate simples, with their own unique reality [Russell]
21681 Given all true atomic propositions, in theory every other truth can thereby be deduced [Russell]
23472 The sense of propositions relies on the world's basic logical structure [Wittgenstein]
23463 Atomic facts correspond to true elementary propositions [Wittgenstein]
7090 The 'Tractatus' is an extreme example of 'Logical Atomism' [Wittgenstein, by Grayling]
23464 In atomic facts the objects hang together like chain links [Wittgenstein]
23471 The structure of an atomic fact is how its objects combine; this possibility is its form [Wittgenstein]
21682 If a proposition is elementary, no other elementary proposition contradicts it [Wittgenstein]
22319 Analysis must end in elementary propositions, which are combinations of names [Wittgenstein]
21683 Nothing can be inferred from an elementary proposition [Wittgenstein]
18385 Logical atomism builds on the simple properties, but are they the only possible properties? [Armstrong]
18475 Russell allows some complex facts, but Wittgenstein only allows atomic facts [MacBride]