Abstract
In this paper some thoughts are presented about the treatment of mathematics in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus of Ludwig Wittgenstein. After introducing a metaphor for the mathematical ‘building’, we look at the scattered ideas about mathematics in the Tractatus itself. Although the general consensus is that Wittgenstein rejects the entire ‘building’, there are recent insights that suggest that a more coherent view of ‘Tractarian’ mathematics can be presented, if we are willing to leave behind a foundational form of thinking. What this means will be outlined in some detail. The concluding general assessment is that the final word on the status of mathematics in the Tractatus is still pending.
| Translated title of the contribution | The complex story of mathematics in the Tractatus |
|---|---|
| Original language | Dutch |
| Pages (from-to) | 196-208 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Algemeen Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Wijsbegeerte |
| Volume | 115 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Keywords
- Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosphicus, propositional logic, predicate logic, arithmetic, geometry, operation, construction, homogeneity and heterogeneity, mathematical practices