Philosophical Investigations by Ludwig Wittgenstein
This book is a seminal work in 20th-century philosophy, presenting a detailed critique of the notion that our language directly corresponds to reality. The author argues that the meaning of words is not inherent, but rather derives from their use within specific forms of life. The book also introduces the concept of language games, suggesting that our understanding of language is akin to learning the rules of a game. The author further explores the limits of language, the nature of understanding, and the relationship between public and private language.
The 492nd greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 607
This book was first published in 1953
7 Lists
- score: 120 -- Books of the Century - 1999 (Weight: 120)
- score: 114 -- The Hundred Most Influential Books Since The War (WW2) - 1995 (Weight: 114)
- score: 112 -- The Modern Philosophical Classics - 1999 (Weight: 96)
- score: 108 -- 25 acclaimed international writers choose 25 of the best books from the last 25 years - 2013 (Weight: 108)
- score: 69 -- The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written - 1998 (Weight: 69)
- score: 51 -- Great Books of the Western World - 1990 (Weight: 51)
- score: 33 -- The 50 Best Books of the Century - 2014 (Weight: 33)