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Single Idea 7086

[from 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus' by Ludwig Wittgenstein, in 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 5. Meaning as Verification ]

Full Idea

The correct method in philosophy would be to say nothing except what can be said, i.e. propositions of natural science, and whenever someone wanted to say something metaphysical, to show that he had failed to give a meaning to signs in his propositions.

Gist of Idea

Good philosophy asserts science, and demonstrates the meaninglessness of metaphysics

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 6.53)

Book Reference

Wittgenstein,Ludwig: 'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Pears)', ed/tr. Pears,D. /McGuinness,B. [RKP 1961], p.73


A Reaction

This seems to be the germ of logical positivism, picked up by the Vienna Circle, and passed on the Ayer and co. How, though, do you 'show' that a sign is meaningless? Very abstract ideas are too far away from experience to be analysed that way.