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On the Unintelligibility of W ittgenstein's T ractatus
Author(s) -
Hessell Cameron
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
philosophical investigations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.172
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1467-9205
pISSN - 0190-0536
DOI - 10.1111/phin.12009
Subject(s) - frame (networking) , philosophy , reading (process) , epistemology , extension (predicate logic) , linguistics , computer science , telecommunications , programming language
“Resolute” readings of W ittgenstein's T ractatus L ogico‐ P hilosophicus maintain that the book is divided into two parts: an intelligible “frame” and an unintelligible “body.” This article questions the validity of the “frame/body distinction” and, by extension, the resolute reading itself. It first establishes the tenability of the resolute programme as entirely dependent upon such a frame/body distinction. It then explores three possible ways the claim that the T ractatus contains such a distinction might be grounded, arguing in each case why it cannot do so. It therefore concludes that the frame/body distinction is unjustified, and the resolute reading untenable.