A SPIRITUAL CONCERN IN THE YOUNG WITTGENSTEIN: THE MEANING OF LIFE WE CAN CALL GOD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/2358-82842016e17363Keywords:
Wittgenstein, God, meaning, mysticism, religion.Abstract
Among his specialists, it is well known that the early
Wittgenstein, especially in his Notebooks, Tractatus and
Conference on Ethics, had a particular interest in a couple of
subjects which we may categorize as ´spiritual matters´. In those
works, he reflected on the nature of values, ethics, the meaning of
the word ´God´ and the ´meaning of life´, along a few enigmatic
remarks on the ´mystical´. In this paper, I basically attempt to
show that the identification Wittgenstein makes between the
meaning of´ God and the meaning of life is intellectually
defensible. Also, I aim at showing that this identification is not
only intellectually defensible but also morally legitimate. While
trying to prove this, I explore some presuppositions of
Wittgenstein´s ideas on the mystical, religion and ethics, as well
as some implications that can be inferred from those ideas. This
exploration may give us a glimpse of Wittgenstein´s overall look
at spiritual matters. Purportedly, this will help his readers to
understand why he identifies God with the meaning of life.
References
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