Wittgenstein’s Tractatus

This chapter argues that the picture theory of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus was anticipated by a proto version of the theory entertained and criticized by Russell in ‘On the Nature of Truth’ (1906–07); we can understand Wittgenstein’s own version of the picture theory as arising from efforts to meet Russell’s criticisms. The resulting state of semantic enlightenment that Wittgenstein achieved in the Tractatus enabled him to explain how representation involving both simple and complex judgements is possible whilst remaining agnostic about the number and nature of the categories. In this way Wittgenstein embraced a form of naturalism that transcended both nominalism and realism.