User:Tancre/readings/Philosophical investigations

Notes on "Philosophical Investigations" (1958) by Ludwig Wittgenstein

Preface

Subjects

• Concepts of meaning / understanding / proposition / logic
• foundations of mathematics
• states of consciousness
• ...

Method

• Remarks - long chains on the same argument or sudden change / Same points from different directions / philosophical remarks as sketches of landscape
• No natural order of the subject because it force in a direciton by deforming the thought
  "And this was, of course, connected with the very nature of the investigation. For this compels us to travel over a wide field of thought criss-cross in every direction."
  
• No claim of property

First part

1. Augustin's explanation of the nature of language. (from Confessions)    He talks only of the usage of words but what is the meaning of a word?
2. Primitive idea of the way language functions V rappresentation of a primitive language.    example of the the builder A and assistant B       // Perfect corrispondance between the word and his object of reference
3. Is this description appropriate? Yes, but only in a specific kind of communication, it isn't valid for the whole language.       // The kind of a complete primitive language
4. Script in which lenguage describes only sound-patterns (sounds, emphasis, punctuation). Too simple conception of language as in Augustine.
    >>>Idea of a software that produce sounds as a meaningless language made of sound-patterns.
5. The meaning of the word makes a clear vision of the language impossible → study the phenomena of language in primitive kinds of application. Clear view of the aim and functioning of the words.
    Childrens use primitive forms of language to learns to talk. Here teaching of language is not explanation, but training.
    >>> The same software but used to teach the pronunciation of languages as sounds-patterns through non-existent words.
    >>> Listen function in google.translate (beatbox, 3D printer)