The Threat of Solipsism: Wittgenstein and Cavell on Meaning, Skepticism, and Finitude

Jônadas Techio

Published by De Gruyter 2021

The Threat of Solipsism

Wittgenstein and Cavell on Meaning, Skepticism, and Finitude

Jônadas Techio

Volume 16 in the series Berlin Studies in Knowledge Research

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110702859

Overview
Contents

About this book

Much attention has been paid to Wittgenstein’s treatment of solipsism and to Cavell’s treatment of skepticism. But comparatively little has been made of the striking connections between the early Wittgenstein’s view on the truth of solipsism and Cavell’s view on the truth of skepticism, and how that relates to the claim that the later Wittgenstein sees privacy as a constant human possibility.

This book offers close readings of representative writings by both authors and argues that an adequate understanding of solipsism and skepticism requires taking into account a set of underlying difficulties related to a disappointment with finitude which might ultimately lead to the threat of solipsism. That threat is further interpreted as a wish not to bear the burden of having to constantly negotiate and nurture the fragile connections with the world and others which are the conditions of possibility for finite beings to achieve meaning and community.

By presenting Wittgenstein’s and Cavell’s responses in an order which reflects the chronology of their writings, the result is a cohesive articulation of some under-appreciated aspects of their philosophical methodologies which has the potential of reorienting our entire reading of their work.

Author / Editor information

Jônadas Techio, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	XI
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	XIII
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. Solipsism and the limits of sense in the Tractatus Logico- Philosophicus Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	18
2. Solipsism and method in the Philosophical Remarks Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	61
3. Solipsism, privacy, and the grammar of the first person in The Blue Book Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	94
4. The threat of privacy in the Philosophical Investigations: Cavell and Kripke on skepticism about meaning Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
5. Seeing souls: Wittgenstein and Cavell on skepticism about other minds Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	143
6. Taking skepticism seriously: Stroud and Cavell Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
7. Skepticism, perfectionism, and the limits of morality Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	187
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	202
Index of subjects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	208
Index of names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	210

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Philosophy scholars, libraries, institutes
Pages
- Front matter: 14
- Main content: 210
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 2
Keywords: Scepticism; solipsism; Wittgenstein; Ludwig; Cavell; Stanley

eBook

Published: November 23, 2020
ISBN: 9783110702859

Hardcover

Published: November 23, 2020
ISBN: 9783110702651