After Wittgenstein had finished Part I of Philosophical Investigations in the form in which it was later printed, he was writing remarks from May 1946 to May 1949 in new MS volumes (MSS 130-138), remarks almost exclusively concerned with the nature of psychological concepts. During this period he twice dictated a selection of the MS material to a typist, in late autumn 1947 (TS 229) and in early autumn 1948 (TS 232). For the last third of the MS entries there (...) is no corresponding extant typescript. Probably in the middle of 1949 Wittgenstein put together a MS selection (MS 144), mainly from what he had written since October 1948, but partly also from earlier MS volumes and typescripts. He then had a fair copy of this MS typed out, and it was printed as Part II of Philosophical Investigations. This typescript has unfortunately disappeared. (shrink)

Humanism, modernity, and scientific rationality are examined critically in these collected essays.

Erläuterungen zur Beziehung zwischen Ludwig Wittgenstein und Ludwig von Ficker, von W. Methlagl.--Die Entstehung des Tractatus logico-philosophicus, von G. H. von Wright.

Preferences are an important object of study in economic theory. Their logico-mathematical study has become prominent with the raise of modern decision theory and with the new conceptions of utility-functions and personalistic probabilities. The ‘basic logic’ at the foundation of the more advanced theories of preference, however, has been relatively little investigated. The pioneer work is Hallden's The Logic of ‘Better’ of the year 1957, followed by von Wright's The Logic of Preference in 1963. The topic has turned out unexpectedly (...) problematic and there is as yet little consensus among logicians about the basic laws of preferring. A reason for this is apparently that there exist several concepts of preference which must be disentangled and kept apart in a logical theory. How this is to be done is discussed in the introductory sections (1–5) of the present paper.In Section 8 is sketched a logic for an asymmetric and connected preference-relation which holds between ‘possible worlds’ within a subject's ‘preference-horizon’ (Section 7). Preferences between states of affairs generally are called holistic when they hold ceteris paribus, i.e., when there is a corresponding preference-relation between any pairs of possible worlds which differ only in those two states and in no others. (Section 6.) Holistic preferences between states are asymmetrical and transitive but they do not form a linear preference order. (Section 9.) Failure to notice this, the author maintains, is responsible for much confusion in the traditional treatment of the subject.In the concluding sections (10–12) the author discusses the mutual relations of the value-absolutes, the good and the bad. Can they be defined in the terms of the relative notion of betterness or preference (and logical constants) alone? The definition which says that the goodness of a state is the holistic preference of it over its contradictory, answers the question affirmatively but conflicts with several deep-rooted axiological intuitions of ours. A more satisfying definition of the value-absolutes requires the additional notion of a value-less state (world) with which all the other states may be compared. In this connection some ideas of G. E. Moore about the notion of an ‘empty’ world can be interestingly exploited. (shrink)

Descartes made a sharp distinction between matter and mind. But he also thought that the two interact with one another. Is such interaction possible, however, without either a materialist reduction of mind to matter or an idealist (phenomenalist) reduction of matter to mind? These questions overshadow the Western tradition in metaphysics from the time of Descartes to present times. The book makes an effort to stay clear of reductivist views of the two Cartesian substances. It defends a dualistic psycho-physical parallel (...) theory which reconciles freedom of action with determinism in nature. Basic problems in perception theory are also discussed, with special emphasis on hearing and sound. Because of the intrinsic interest of the subject and the author's non-technical presentation of it, the book should appeal to all readers with a serious interest in philosophy and psychology. (shrink)

Symposium in Helsinki, 24-27 August 1970 / Entretiens de Helsinki, 24-27 août 1970.

Lichtenbergs Schriften können wir uns als der wunderbarsten Wünschelrute be‐dienen; wo er einen Spass macht, liegt ein Problem verborgen.

"A continuation of two earlier series of chronicles, Philosophy in the mid-century (Frienze 1958/59) and Contemporary philosophy (Frienze 1968)"--Preface.