Ludwig Wittgenstein
Philosophy of language is the branch of philosophy that studies language. Its primary focus includes the nature of linguistic meaning, reference, language use, language learning, language understanding, truth, thought and experience, communication, interpretation and translation. ¨¨The discipline is concerned with five key issues:
1. How are sentences composed into a meaningful whole and what are the meanings of the parts of sentences?
2. What is a meaning?
3. How do we use language socially and what is its purpose?
4. How does language relate to the mind of the speaker and the interpreter?
5. How does language relate to the world?¨(Wikipedia 1)
Though philosophers have always discussed language, it took on a central role in philosophy beginning in the late nineteenth century, particularly in the English speaking world and parts of Europe. ¨The philosophy of language was so pervasive that for a time, in analytic philosophy circles, philosophy as a whole was understood to be a matter of mere philosophy of language.¨(Wikipedia 3)
One philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, played a central role in 20th century analytic philosophy. Considered by some to be ¨the greatest of the 20th century, he continues to influence current philosophical thought in topics such as logic and language, perception and intention, ethics and religion, aesthetics and culture.¨ (Stanford Encyclopedia 13)
Ludwig Wittgenstein was born in 1889 in Vienna, Austria to a wealthy and well connected family. He studied engineering in Berlin and in 1908 went to England to research aeronautics. His inte ...