Ludwig Wittgenstein

Colors

We do not have visual sensations of separate colors.

The break in colors comes by the differences of language, in one language they will recognize three where as in another language they would recognize more colors.

When describing the color of an object like a tomato is explaining how the word should be used.

OstensiveDefinitions

Ostensive Definitions-defining a word by ppointing to an object.

According to Augustine and other traditional philosophers we learned the bulk of what we know through ostensive definitions.

To the traditional philosophers language and thought are separate and thought comes first.

Wittgenstein said that Augustine was wrong and that people must have language before they are able to express their thought.

To Wittgenstein

Introspection

The traditionalist believed that introspection was like observation.

The traditional view of introspection is a comparison of observing an object in the outside world and my own thoughts and feelings about it.

Two differences between observation and introspection.

The object still exists whether or not I am looking at it or not.

When observing I do not change, produce or destroy the actual object where as when i introspect I can.

What are you thinking?

You cannot perceive a thought.

Therefore there are no defining characteristics of a thought.

Vocabulary

"The Linguistic Turn"-analysis of language central to philosophy

to reify/the fallacy of reification-to thingify, thinking a word or concept refers to a thing when it doesn't.

tautology-a statement that is true but doesn't refer to anything outside of language.

nomenclaturism-belief that language is a list of names of objects

verbal definition-defining a word with other words

a paradigm-a model to be followed

non-linguistic thought (if it exists)-conceptual thought that exists independent of language

conceptual thought-thoughts based on concepts

philosophical psychology-philosophy of mind, analyze mental concepts and try to come up with the most rational way of thinking about them.

introspection-closely examining our thoughts and feelings

a "sample"-what is pointed to when giving an ostensive definition