Ludwig Wittgenstein (Critical Lives)

Ludwig Wittgenstein is generally considered as the greatestphilosopher since Immanuel Kant, and his personal life, work, andhis historical moment intertwined in a fascinating, complex web.Noted scholar Edward Kanterian explores these intersections inLudwig Wittgenstein, the newest title in the acclaimedCritical Lives series.Wittgenstein’s works—from TractatusLogico-Philosophicus to the posthumously publishedPhilosophical Investigations—are notoriously dense, andKanterian carefully distills them here, proposing thought-provokingnew interpretations. Yet the philosopher’s passions were not solelyconfined to theoretical musings, and the book exploresWittgenstein’s immersion in art and music and his social positionas a member of the sophisticated Viennese upper class at the turnof the century. His personal and professional relationships alsooffer insights into his thoughts, as he was friends with thegreatest thinkers of the twentieth century, including John MaynardKeynes, George Edward Moore, Bertrand Russell, and Gilbert Royle.The philosopher was also deeply tormented by ethical and religiousquestions, and his internal turmoil, Kanterian argues, gives us adeeper understanding of the important conflicts and tensions of hisage. Ultimately, the author contends, Wittgenstein’s life revealsinsights into the ethical quandaries of our own time.A readable and concise account, Ludwig Wittgenstein isan informative, accessible introduction to the one of the greatestthinkers of our age.