Ludwig Wittgenstein
1889-1951
In the tradition of the ancient Greeks who first speculated about the true meaning of concepts like Justice, Knowledge, and the Good Life, Wittgenstein's objective was better conceptual understanding. To this end Wittgenstein developed methods that showed the subtleties of language because these same methods could help to clarify our concepts -- and to clarify, and better understand our own thinking.
Wittgenstein noted the necessary existence of what President Obama calls "teaching opportunities." These are the occasions which provide the opportunity for an easy and objective judgement that demonstrates the clear use of a word, for example: “That had to hurt.” “That's a horse.” or “That's red.” These paradigmatic observations make what's called "ostensive definition" possible. “Ostension” is just a fancy word for pointing. Ostensive definition consists in showing the meaning of a word by demonstrating occasions for it's employment. “That's a horse.” can be used to teach the rudimentary meaning of “horse” because it is natural for children to pay attention to a large unknown animal that is nearby.
Wittgenstein: “The common behavior [≈ "shared judgments"] of mankind is the system of reference by means of which we interpret an unknown language.”
In other words, learning a language would be impossible if we didn't normally agree in judgments about a stable objective reality that naturally interests and involves us. Ordinary Language Philosophy derives from the idea that all meaningful language is created by reference to our shared judgements about this one and only reality that we can talk about together.
Wittgenstein famously argued against the possibility of a strictly subjective, “private,” or “mental” paradigm for an ostensive definition.
“Always get rid of the idea of the private object in this way: assume that it constantly changes, but that you do not notice the change because your memory constantly deceives you.”
“Anything that can be said, can be said clearly... Anything that can be thought, can be thought clearly.”
“A dog can neither lie nor be sincere. A dog can expect his master to come; but a dog cannot expect his master to come next Wednesday.”
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
“Language disguises thought.”
“The sole remaining task for philosophy is the analysis of language.”
“Philosophical problems arise when language goes on holiday.”
“We must plow through the whole of language.”
“Language is a part of our organism and no less complicated than it.”
“Philosophy, as we use the word, is a fight against the fascination which forms of expression exert upon us.”
“My aim is: to teach you to pass from a piece of disguised nonsense to something that is patent nonsense.”
“Philosophy aims at the logical clarification of thoughts.”
“A philosophical work consists essentially of elucidations.”
“Without philosophy thoughts are, as it were, cloudy and indistinct: its task is to make them clear and to give them sharp boundaries.”
“Philosophy does not result in 'philosophical propositions', but rather in the clarification of propositions.”
“My difficulty is only an -- enormous -- difficulty of expression.”
“Philosophy is not a body of doctrine but an activity.”