Single Idea 22321

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 9. Essence and Properties]

Full Idea

Wittgenstein explicitly said that to know an object I must know all its internal properties. ...Internal properties have form and content; form is 'possibility of occurrence in atomic facts' (2.0141), content is its being that specific object (2.0233).

Gist of Idea

To know an object we must know the form and content of its internal properties

Source

report of Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus [1921], 2.01231) by Michael Potter - The Rise of Analytic Philosophy 1879-1930 52 'Simp'

Book Reference

Potter,Michael: 'The Rise of Anaytic Philosophy 1879-1930' [Routledge 2020], p.349


A Reaction

[check original quote] This seems to be an essentialist view of (formal) objects. See Potter 347-9 for discussion. The 'external properties' of an object are the atomic facts in which it occurs.

Related Idea

Idea 22320 An 'object' is just what can be referred to without possible non-existence [Wittgenstein]