ABSTRACT
For philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, problems were not made solvable by single theories. Instead, for in-depth understanding, one could at most be ‘guided’ through the various perspectives to a problem. As a guide in philosophical problems, he considered himself a rather ‘bad’ guide, with advantages however:
In teaching you philosophy I’m like a guide showing you how to find your way round London. I have to take you through the city from north to south, from east to west, from Euston to the Embankment and from Piccadilly to the Marble Arch. After I have taken you many journeys through the city, in all sorts of directions, we shall have passed through any given street a number of times – each time traversing the street as part of a different journey. At the end of this you will know London; you will be able to find your way about like a Londoner. Of course, a good guide will take you through the more important streets more often than he takes you down side streets; a bad guide will do the opposite. In philosophy I’m a rather bad guide.
(Gasking and Jackson, 1967: 51)