Philosophy
Research: Projects
Wittgenstein's Tractatus
A research project hosted by the Department of Philosophy
and sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
From September 2003 to August 2006 the Department will be home to a research project directed towards the interpretation of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.
The aim of the project, very broadly described, is to investigate connections between, on the one hand, Wittgenstein's detailed responses to the logical, semantic and ontological theories of his predecessors, and on the other his critical 'metaphilosophy' - his conception of philosophy as practice rather than theory, or as diagnostic and therapeutic rather than constructive. Exploring how the critical 'metaphilosophy' emerges out of the detail of Wittgenstein's reactions to the logical work of Russell and Frege will, it is hoped, contribute to overcoming an unnecessary and unhelpful polarization in recent work on Wittgenstein's early thought between those who emphasize his theoretical engagement and those who emphasize the anti-theoretical morals he drew from it.
Previous Events for this Project
The project has hosted a series of one-day workshops: details via the link on the right.
The project's major international CONFERENCE was held from 9-11 September, 2005.