Ludwig Wittgenstein Quotes on Politics
Ludwig Wittgenstein was an Austrian-British philosopher whose work transformed 20th-century analytic philosophy. This page collects quotes attributed to Ludwig Wittgenstein on the topic of politics, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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“Writing about the eventual outcome of World War I, in which he was a volunteer in the Austro-Hungarian army (25 October 1914), as quoted in The First World War (2004) by Martin Gilbert , p. 104”
It seems to me as good as certain that we cannot get the upper hand against England . The English — the best race in the world — cannot lose! We, however, can lose and shall lose, if not this year then next year. The thought that our race is going to be beaten depresses me terribly, because I am completely German . -
“It is quite impossible for a proposition to state that it itself is true. (4.442)”
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus(1922) | Original German: Ein Satz kann unmöglich von sich selbst aussagen, dass er wahr ist. -
“To convince someone of the truth, it is not enough to state it, but rather one must find the path from error to truth.”
Philosophical Occasions 1912-1951(1993) | Ch. 7 : Remarks on Frazer 's Golden Bough , p. 119 -
“Though a state of affairs that would contravene the laws of physics can be represented by us spatially, one that would contravene the laws of geometry cannot. (3.0321)”
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus(1922) | Original German: Wohl können wir einen Sachverhalt räumlich darstellen, welcher den Gesetzen der Physik, aber keinen, der den Gesetzen der Geometrie zuwiderliefe. -
“For remember that in general we don't use language according to strict rules — it hasn't been taught us by means of strict rules, either.”
The Blue Book(c. 1931–1935; published 1965) | p. 25 -
“To obey a rule, to make a report, to give an order, to play a game of chess , are customs (uses, institutions )”
Philosophical Investigations(1953) | § 199