Norman Malcolm Quotes
Norman Adrian Malcolm was an American philosopher and the principal American interpreter of Wittgenstein's later philosophy. After studies at Nebraska, Harvard, and Cambridge, where he formed a deep friendship with Wittgenstein, he spent his career at Cornell, training a generation of Wittgensteinian philosophers. The quotes below are attributed to Norman Malcolm, organized by topic.
Browse Norman Malcolm by topic
Norman Malcolm on God
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Attributed to Norman Malcolm:
“Anselm's modal argument deserves to be taken more seriously than it has been.”
Norman Malcolm on Knowledge
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“Wittgenstein's personality dominated these meetings. I doubt that anyone in the class failed to be influenced by him in some way. Few of us could keep from acquiring imitations of his mannerisms, gestures, intonations, exclamations. These imitations could easily appear ridiculous when compared with their original.”
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Norman Malcolm on Love
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“Undoubtedly Wittgenstein did greatly need human warmth and affection and he was enormously appreciative of any simple kindness. But a friendly relationship with him was very exacting. He could rebuke a friend with extreme harshness. He had a tendency to be suspicious of motives and character.”
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Norman Malcolm on Mind
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Attributed to Norman Malcolm:
“Dreaming is not an experience that is later remembered; it is the recollection itself.”
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Attributed to Norman Malcolm:
“The grammar of psychological concepts is the proper subject of the philosophy of mind.”
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“It is hardly correct to speak of these meetings as ‘lectures’, although this is what Wittgenstein called them. For one thing, he was carrying on original research in these meetings. He was thinking about certain problems in a way that he could have done had he been alone. For another thing, the meetings were largely conversation.”
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“Some have thought that Wittgenstein's lectures were only for his friends and favourites. In fact he would admit anyone to his lectures. He required, however, that they should attend continuously and for a considerable period of time. He would not allow anyone to come for only one or two meetings. To one such request he replied, 'My lectures are not for tourists.”
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Norman Malcolm on Time
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“Wittgenstein expressed more than once the fear that his writings would be destroyed by fire. He related with horror how the great historian, Mommsen, had lost a manuscript volume of his History of Rome in that way.”
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Norman Malcolm on Truth
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Attributed to Norman Malcolm:
“What can be shown cannot be said.”
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Attributed to Norman Malcolm:
“Wittgenstein's later philosophy invites us out of the metaphysical fly-bottle.”