Wittgenstein on Forms of Life/ [electronic resource]
by Anna Boncompagni
- Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
- e-book
- Elements in the Philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein .
Element contents Summary 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview 1.2 “Lebensformen” before Wittgenstein 1.3 Goethe and Spengler: Methodological Concerns 2 Forms of Life in Wittgenstein’s Work 2.1 Overview 2.2 Cluster 1: Language Games and Activities of Life 2.3 Cluster 2: Agreement and Rules 2.4 Cluster 3: The Given 3 Interpretations of Forms of Life 3.1 Overview 3.2 Some Classical Interpretations 3.3 A Map of Positions 3.4 Wider Debates 4 Conclusion: The Significance of Forms of Life 4.1 Overview 4.2 Remarks and Interpretations 4.3 The Development of Wittgenstein’s View 4.4 A Methodological Reading Acknowledgments The Philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein Footnotes References
Summary The question of what Wittgenstein meant by 'forms of life' has attracted a great deal of attention in the literature, yet it is an expression that Wittgenstein himself employs on only a relatively small number of occasions, and that he does not explicitly define. This Element gives a description of this concept that also explains Wittgenstein's reluctance to say much about it. A short historical introduction examines the origins and uses of the term in Wittgenstein's time. The Element then presents a survey of Wittgenstein's employment of it, and an overview of the literature. Finally, the Element offers a methodological reading of this notion, interpreting it as a conceptual tool in Wittgenstein's wider inquiries into the workings of our language.