Wittgenstein'sMetaphysics

Wittgenstein'sMetaphysicsoffersaninterpretationofthefundamentalideasofLudwigWittgenstein.Ittakesissuewiththeconventionalviewthatafter1930WittgensteinrejectedthephilosophyoftheTractatusanddevelopedawhollynewconceptionofphilosophy.BytracingtheevolutionofWittgenstein'sideasCookshowsthattheyareneitherasoriginalnorasdifficultasisoftensupposed.Wittgensteinwasessentiallyanempiricist,andthedifferencebetweenhisearlyviews(assetforthintheTractatus)andthelaterviews(asexpoundedinthePhilosophicalInvestigations)lieschieflyinthefactthatafter1930hereplacedhisversionofreductionismwithsomethingsubtler.Nevertheless,heendedwherehebegan,asanempiricistarmedwithatheoryofmeaning.