Symbols in Wittgenstein's Tractatus

Citation

Johnston C (2007) Symbols in Wittgenstein's Tractatus. European Journal of Philosophy, 15 (3), pp. 367-394. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0378.2007.00253.x

Abstract
This paper is concerned with the status of a symbol in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus. It is claimed in the first section that a Tractarian symbol, whilst essentially a syntactic entity to be distinguished from the mark or sound that is its sign, bears its semantic significance only inessentially. In the second and third sections I pursue this point of exegesis through the Tractarian discussions of nonsense and the context principle respectively. The final section of the paper places the forgoing work in a secondary context, addressing in particular a debate regarding the realism of the Tractatus.

Keywords
; Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951. Tractatus logico-philosophicus.; Philosophy; Wittgenstein, Ludwig 1889-1951; Logic Symbolic and mathematical

Journal
European Journal of Philosophy: Volume 15, Issue 3

People

Dr Colin Johnston

Senior Lecturer, Philosophy