Entry tags:

biography, philosophy

Historical Dictionary of Wittgenstein's Philosophy
Historical Dictionary of Wittgenstein's Philosophy

By Duncan Richter.

Published by Scarecrow Press, as Number 54 in their series, "Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements," in 2004.

This is a 5.5" by 8.5" hardbound book running to 242 pages including the bibliography, plus a preface, acknowledgments, a "Reader's Note," acronyms and abbreviations, and a chronology.

This is a modest book that aims to provide superficial coverage of Wittgenstein's life and philosophy in dictionary/encylopedia entries. Covered are people and places in Wittgentstein's life, entries on his written works, and entries on philosophical concepts that he dealt with.

The first fifteen entries in the book (not including "see" references) have the titles:

• Aesthetics and Art
  
• Agreement
  
• Ambrose, Alice (1906-2001)
  
• Analysis
  
• Anscombe, Gertrude Elizabeth Margaret (1919-2001)
  
• Anti-Semitism
  
• Apostles (Cambridge Group)
  
• Apples, Five Red (Example of)
  
• Arbitrariness of Grammar
  
• Architecture
  
• Aristotle (384-322 BC)
  
• Aspect-Seeing
  
• Atomic Bomb
  
• Augustine of Hippo, St. (354-430)
  
• Baker, Gordon Park (1938-2002)
  
• Bartley, William Warren (1934-1990)
  

The entries range in length from a paragraph to several pages. The writing is admirably clear, and unlike most philosophical writing doesn't require much background knowledge in philosophy.

In the preface the author acknoweldges what a challenge it is to produce a reference book on Wittgenstein, since the meaning of his work is so controversial among philosophers. Some philosophers would probably take issue with the author's approach to some issues, but given the challenge and the need for simplicity, I think he's done an excellent job.

This would be a very handy book for philosophy students first encountering Wittgenstein.