A Brief Discussion on Wittgenstein
By Han Luheng
Ontology and Epistemology
Reason and Sensibility
The Premise of Logical Reasoning
The Significance of Clarifying Concepts
The Application of Philosophy
Wittgenstein is one of the most influential and well-known philosophers of the 20th century. His philosophy of language has had a significant impact on modern philosophical theory. During the pandemic, I read Wittgenstein’s personal history and his philosophical works. Here, I will briefly talk about my understanding and views on Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language.
To save time, I used AI to summarize the key points of Wittgenstein's philosophy.
The main points of the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus:
In the Tractatus, Wittgenstein attempts to clarify the relationship between language and the world. His main ideas include:
The world is composed of facts: Wittgenstein believed the world is not made up of objects but is the sum total of facts or states of affairs.
Language as a “logical picture” of the world: Language reflects the facts of the real world through its structure; the logical form of language corresponds to the logical form of the world.
The meaning of a proposition lies in the fact it depicts: A proposition only has meaning if it is capable of depicting a certain fact.
“What can be said at all can be said clearly; and what we cannot talk about we must pass over in silence”: This famous conclusion from the Tractatus emphasizes that philosophy should focus on what can be clearly expressed; for matters beyond the expressive capacity of language, we must remain silent.
The main points of Philosophical Investigations:
In his later work Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein reflected on and revised his earlier views. The main ideas include:
The meaning of language lies in its use: Wittgenstein proposed that the meaning of language depends on its use in specific contexts, rather than merely on its correspondence with reality.
The concept of “language games”: He introduced the notion of “language games,” emphasizing that linguistic activity is like a game, with its own rules and diversity. The meaning of language lies in the participants' adherence to and understanding of these rules.
Opposition to the possibility of private language: Wittgenstein argued that language is inherently public, and a truly private language (understandable only by the individual) is not feasible because the meaning of language depends on publicly verifiable usage rules.
The core of Wittgenstein’s philosophy:
The core of Wittgenstein’s philosophy lies in his exploration of the nature of language and its relationship with reality. In his early work, he emphasized the correspondence between language and the world, arguing that the logical structure of language can mirror reality. In his later period, he turned to focus on the practical use of language, proposing that meaning derives from the function and rules of language in specific contexts. This shift reflects his profound understanding of the complexity of language and emphasizes that language is not merely a tool for describing reality but is also a part of human activity and cultural practice.
— ChatGPT
Summarizing the above content, Wittgenstein’s philosophy can be summarized as:
The world consists of facts that conform to both objective existence and subjective judgment.
Language and the rules of language are the only means of reflecting these facts.
Language has limitations. What can be said clearly has already been said; what cannot be said will forever remain inexpressible.
I will discuss Wittgenstein’s philosophy from the following aspects:
1. Ontology and EpistemologyOntology: Ontology, since Plato, has been the ultimate proposition explored in traditional philosophy—it is the inquiry into the essence of all philosophical concepts: existence, matter, the essence and meaning of life, and so on.
Epistemology: Simply put, epistemology is the process of arguing and verifying our knowledge and cognition—it is the use of reason to examine our knowledge and understanding.
The core of traditional philosophy lies in abstract metaphysical discussion, which often lacks objective empirical basis. It involves analyses and debates on concepts such as existence, space-time, life, and meaning—concepts with inherent uncertainty. These discussions often lack specific practical relevance. The limitations of ontology have been reflected in Kant’s “Let us concede the existence of God,” Schopenhauer’s “world as representation,” and Nietzsche’s assertion that “God is dead.” The greatest significance of Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language is that it demonstrates, from the perspective of language, that the limitations of human language determine that we cannot find answers to philosophy’s ultimate propositions: “What can be said at all can be said clearly; and what we cannot talk about we must pass over in silence.”
Essentially, Wittgenstein’s philosophy is an epistemological negation of ontology. It definitively declares the end of traditional philosophy’s abstract, detached, and hollow ultimate propositions.
Reflection: Should we really remain silent about things that cannot be clearly articulated? Does ontology still hold practical significance?
Curiosity is one of the distinctive traits of human thinking (according to current human understanding). Curiosity drives the human urge to explore. A child may sit by the window and gaze at the starry sky, filled with endless imagination; an adult may, after a tiring day, question the meaning of life. All these are manifestations of human thought. Human curiosity is the source of ontology. Our desire for the unknown spurs deep thinking and exploration of the universe, life, and nature. This inquiry into existence prompts us to ask fundamental questions: “Who are we?” “What is the world?” “What is our relationship with the world?”
It is precisely this curiosity and thirst for knowledge that has propelled the continuous development of science, philosophy, art, and other fields, thereby advancing human civilization.
In the past, present, and future, ontology has always been, and remains, a vital force propelling human civilization forward.
Conclusion: Wittgenstein’s assertion about the limits of language is profound and correct. But his negation of ontology is mistaken. There is nothing in this world that cannot be discussed—we should continuously attempt to articulate the inarticulable.
2. Rationality and SensibilityWittgenstein’s philosophy is based entirely on logic and reasoning. Whether it is the early-stage Tractatus or the later-stage Philosophical Investigations, the key point is the logical relationship between “language” and “facts.” He himself was a genius in logic. However, the key problem is that language is not purely logical, and not all language reflects facts.
In Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein actually already realized this point. The concept of “language games” is a perfect example. Language games emphasize the “rules” of language use, which is a kind of social consensus. The consensus of language must include sensibility, emotion, and experience, which are not logically provable—they cannot be proven through deduction or induction.
This means that rationality is only one part of language.
In short, sensibility cannot be logically proven. However, the meaning of language must include sensibility. Therefore, the meaning of language goes beyond rational logic.
Conclusion: The “meaning” of language should include logical rationality and sensory experience. Wittgenstein discussed logic thoroughly but did not clearly express the importance of sensibility.
But language is also poetry; language is also feeling.
Language is not merely an expression of facts—it is the expression of people.
3. The Premises of Logical ReasoningWittgenstein used “proposition” as a logical unit, using propositions to describe facts, and believed that facts are composed of atomic facts. He also emphasized that the truth of propositions must conform to the real world. He was obsessed with the relationship between “proposition” and “fact,” but he ignored the premise of a proposition: concept.
For example:
The proposition “water boils at 100°C” is true. But if someone doesn’t know what “boil” or “water” means, how can they understand this proposition?
Concepts are the premise of propositions and the foundation of logic. If a person doesn’t understand the concept of “boiling,” then no matter how correct or valid the logic is, they still won’t understand the conclusion.
This is a critical question: Are concepts logical?
The answer is: Concepts are not logical; concepts are sensual.
All concepts are originally obtained from experience—in particular, through the human sensory system (vision, hearing, touch, etc.). Whether the concept is “water,” “boiling,” “pain,” or “beautiful,” it is all the result of sensory experience. This means that concept is the sensual premise of logic.
Thus, logic must have a sensual premise.
And the sensual cannot be proven logically.
Conclusion: Wittgenstein was immersed in the abstract relationship between propositions and facts, but he overlooked the conceptual premise of propositions.
This is the fundamental reason why Wittgenstein’s philosophy cannot go further. Because he never answered:
Where do propositions come from?
Where do facts come from?
What are “facts” to human consciousness?
4. The Significance of Clarifying ConceptsThe primary value of Wittgenstein’s philosophy lies in the clarification of concepts.
He clearly expressed the boundaries of language. He told us:
This is extremely important, because a large number of people use language to express meaningless concepts. For example:
“Spiritual abundance.”
“True freedom.”
“Ultimate truth.”
“Life without regret.”
“Oneness of man and nature.”
“A realm beyond life and death.”
…these phrases seem meaningful, but actually, each word is vague, and there is no definition. Thus, these phrases do not have clear meaning, and therefore cannot be logically discussed.
This is why Wittgenstein strongly advocated “conceptual clarification.”
Conclusion: A major function of philosophy is to clarify concepts, so that language can be used rationally.
Only after clarifying concepts can we accurately engage in logical reasoning and discussion.
Otherwise, it’s all just empty talk.
5. The Application of PhilosophyThe last paragraph of Tractatus is very famous:
“Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.”
Many interpret this as a kind of “philosophical despair,” thinking that Wittgenstein believed:
Since philosophy cannot express ultimate truth, it is useless.
But this is a mistaken understanding of Wittgenstein.
In fact, Wittgenstein never denied the value of philosophy.
On the contrary, he gave philosophy a new mission:
Philosophy is not a doctrine, but an activity.
The purpose of philosophy is to clarify thoughts—to untangle the confusion in language.
It’s not about building a theory, but helping people recognize:
Which language is meaningful and which is meaningless?
Which is logic and which is just imagination?
What is clearly expressible and what is just vague feeling?
Wittgenstein showed us that the philosopher is not a “truth teller,” but a conceptual clarifier.
The mission of philosophy is not to teach us how to live, but to help us understand the essence of language, and in doing so, allow us to think more clearly.
Final Conclusion:
Wittgenstein was the “terminator” of traditional philosophy, and the “founder” of analytical philosophy.
His greatness lies in showing us that:
The greatest problem of philosophy is the problem of language.
The greatest confusion of human thought comes from the misuse of language.
Wittgenstein told us:
The goal of philosophy is clarity.
It is not a sublime system, but a mirror that allows us to see our own thinking more clearly.
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