Philosophy 186B

Close reading and detailed discussion of Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. The aim of the course is to understand this book and its philosophical significance by responding as directly as possible to the text and pursuing its questions and issues as it presents them. Other works of Wittgenstein will be consulted occasionally for whatever light they throw on this, as will some interpretative commentary, but the emphasis throughout is on Philosophical Investigations.

Requirements

Regular class attendance with the books.
Participation in class discussion.
Attendance and participation in weekly discussion sections.
On-time completion of work assigned for sections.
On-time completion of five two-page papers on assigned paragraphs of
	Philosophical Investigations.

On-time submission of a final ten-page paper on a topic of your choice (several possible topics will be suggested).

Required Books

L. Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, tr. G. E. M. Anscombe (Blackwell) L. Wittgenstein, The Blue and Brown Books (Harper)