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Is Wittgenstein's ethical theory a kind of error theory?

Henning Jensen

pp. 280-290

Abstract

At a Centenary Symposium whose announced topic is "Wittgenstein: Towards A Reevaluation', it seems appropriate to preface the main part of my paper with a brief overview concerning the very mixed reactions which Wittgenstein's contribution to ethics has provoked from commentators. Among those whose reactions have been very positive are R.W. Beardsmore, Ilham Dilman, H.O. Mounce, D.Z. Phillips, and Peter Winch, who tend to see themselves as interpreting and developing views which they attribute to Wittgenstein.1 It seems fair to say, however, that the reactions of most philosophers have been strongly negative. The reasons for these negative reactions have been rather varied. Some critics, such as Robert J. Fogelin,2 P.M.S. Hacker,3 and David Pears,4 agree in maintaining that, in some respect or other, Wittgenstein's ethical position is not well argued. Colin Radford goes further by arguing that Wittgenstein's entire ethical position is incoherent. In explaining the famous "ethical silence' in Wittgenstein's later philosophy, Radford maintains that ethics presented the mature Wittgenstein with a problem he could not resolve. Hence, he adds, "the mature Wittgenstein could not say anything about ethics, and he (virtually) does not".5 Most extreme of all is E.D. Klemke's conclusion concerning Wittgenstein's "Lecture on Ethics' that "it is of no worth whatever for ethical inquiry, and that the manner of philosophizing which it exhibits is despicable".6

Publication details

Published in:

Haller Rudolf, Brandl Johannes L (1990) Wittgenstein — eine neubewertung/Wittgenstein — towards a re-evaluation: Akten des 14. internationalen Wittgenstein-symposiums feier des 100. geburtstages 13. bis 20. august 1989 kirchberg am wechsel (Österreich) / proceedings of the 14th international Wittgenstein-symposium centenary celebration 13th to 20th au. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 280-290

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-30086-2_28

Full citation:

Jensen Henning (1990) „Is Wittgenstein's ethical theory a kind of error theory?“, In: R. Haller & J.L. Brandl (eds.), Wittgenstein — eine neubewertung/Wittgenstein — towards a re-evaluation, Dordrecht, Springer, 280–290.