ABSTRACT

Ludwig Wittgenstein did not want to spare other people the trouble of thinking for themselves. Philosophical Investigations was intended to stimulate his readers to have their own thoughts rather than to present them with pre-packaged ideas for convenient consumption. This is reflected in the style of writing, which is fragmentary and oblique, flitting from one topic to the next and back again. The answers to philosophical questions are not given in a straightforward way, but rather suggested through particular examples and stories. Clues are provided, but their implications aren’t usually spelt out; metaphors abound, but it is up to the reader to unpack them.