What Philosophy Is

Wittgenstein on Certainty

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another.

Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting. Also, it is reasonable to assume that the final exam’s questions will be drawn from these questions—particularly those in bold.

Readings:

• Ludwig Wittgenstein, On Certainty from Stephen M. Cahn (ed.), Philosophy for the 21st Century, pp. 140-151.

Questions:

There is a lot going on in this passage. Just try to focus on the following things.

1. According to Wittgenstein, what does Moore need to show in order for us to accept that he “knows” that his hands exist?
2. Under what circumstances is doubt legitimately possible? What are our foundational beliefs supposed to accomplish? Why does it not make any sense to doubt our foundational beliefs? If we cannot doubt our foundational beliefs, can we then presume to know them?

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