Philosophy Confidential: The Fly

Thursday, September 6, 2007

The Fly

In Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein's interlocutor asks: “What is your aim in philosophy?” and Wittgenstein answers: “To show the fly the way out of the fly-bottle.”

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, trans. Elizabeth Anscombe [Manmillan, 1953])

Eine Kleine Nachtphilosophie

There can be little doubt that philosophy’s history is filled with incidents and anecdotes that reveal the thought and character of philosophers in ways that complement and often go beyond their published works. Kant and his critics, Schopenhauer’s notorious rivalry with Hegel, which led to the former’s resigning his university position and leaving academic life, Sir Karl Popper’s encounter with Wittgenstein, in which the latter allegedly threatened the former with a poker, presumably in the heat of a philosophical quarrel! -- all are part of the lore of modern philosophy dating from the eighteenth century to the present and illuminate not only the disputes and disagreements that constitute its history but also the alliances and antagonisms that characterize its human dimension.

The name Philosophy Confidential is indicative of this blog's tendency to blend intellectual history with rumor and innuendo, tabloid style. I have not gone so far as to delve into court documents, plea agreements, employment contracts, and disclosure forms—as if such materials would reveal even more questionable practices than those to be discussed. As it happens, philosophers have for the most part led exemplary lives, worthy of emulation and, in some cases, a well-intentioned joke.

I have sometimes paraphrased instead of using direct quotes, but to a very great extent I have let philosophers speak for themselves. Nevertheless, and by way of warning, I caution readers that here or there an item of dubious provenance may have found its way into the narrative.

Philosophy Confidential

Thursday, September 6, 2007

The Fly

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Eine Kleine Nachtphilosophie

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