From Mirrors to Games: Wittgenstein’s Two Philosophies of Language
Introduction Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophical trajectory represents one of the most profound transformations in modern thought. His early work, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus , and his later text, Philosophical Investigations , offer contrasting visions of how language functions and how philosophical problems arise. Central to this divergence is the shift from the picture theory of language to the concept of language games . The former views language as a representational system bound by logical form, while the latter understands language as a socially embedded practice shaped by usage. This essay explores this contrast as the primary axis of Wittgenstein’s philosophical evolution. While other significant concepts—such as rule-following, private language, and the role of philosophy—will be briefly considered to deepen the analysis, the focus remains on the opposition between static representation and dynamic practice. Wittgenstein’s move from the logical rigidity of the Tractatus...