Describe Wittgenstein's approach to reality in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.

Wittgenstein appears to assert a form of metaphysical pluralism which is made of independent objects. However, these objects do not exist in isolation, and combine together to create situations or what he calls 'states of affairs'. These are what are called atomic facts and combine together to produce molecular facts. If conceived rightly, these atomic and molecular facts are pictured to ourselves in thought. Each of these atomic facts can be pictured in terms of their logical form apriori, which is to say that we can, before experience determine the potential forms of states of affairs these possible facts could take. These forms are essentially models of what reality could be like. We express these potential forms in language either as tautologically necessary statements or as empirical propositions that are probable and contingent.

SC

Related Philosophy A Level answers

All answers ▸

'The fact that I can conceive of a mind as existing separately to a body is enough to prove that the mind and body are distinct substances’ 25 marks


Why did Descartes employ Skepticism in his search for knowledge?


Outline the Knowledge/Mary argument and one criticism of it (12 marks)


Can you explain Anselm's ontological argument?