The False Prison: A Study of the Development of Wittgenstein's Philosophy, Vol. 1

This is the second volume of David Pears's acclaimed study of Wittgenstein's philosophy from the Notebooks and the Tractatus to Philosophical Investigations and other later writings. Dealing with writings from 1929 onward, Volume II provides close discussions of those doctrines and ideas that reveal the general overall structure of Wittgenstein's thought. Designed to fill the gap in the secondary literature between brief introductions and long commentaries, The False Prison relates the general to the particular within a clearly delineated framework, making Wittgenstein's difficult thought more accessible to philosophy students and nonspecialists.

"An excellent treatment of the early philosophy of Wettgenstein and some of his dominant theories."--George L. Farre, Georgetown University

This is the first of two volumes describing the development of Wittgenstein's philosophy from the Notebooks and the Tractatus to Philosophical Investigations and his other later writings. Volume I is divided into two parts: Part I surveys the whole of Wittgenstein's work, while Part II examines in detail the central ideas of his early system. Although Pears focuses on the internal organization of Wittgenstein's thought, he also investigates the origins of Wittgenstein's philosophy, relating it to the philosophies of his predecessors and contemporaries. Revealing how the details of Wittgenstein's work fit into its general pattern, Pears offers scholars, students, and non-specialists alike unusually clear insight into the philosopher's thought.

Oxford University