Wittgenstein
The Senses of Use
Published on 21. October 2025
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-0-226-82457-4 (ISBN)
Description
A holistic introduction to Wittgenstein's philosophy that approaches him as a philosopher of ordinary life.
One of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's most consequential claims was that the meaning of the word, its sense, is its use in language. This deceptively simple claim, the foundation of what became known as ordinary language philosophy, has animated thinkers across disciplinary bounds from metaphysics to ethics and more. In The Senses of Use, Sandra Laugier embarks on a fresh journey through Wittgenstein's corpus that emphasizes the place of ordinary life and language in its thought. Through his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Philosophical Investigations, and rich posthumously published works, Laugier offers a compelling new look at Wittgenstein as a philosopher of mind.
One of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's most consequential claims was that the meaning of the word, its sense, is its use in language. This deceptively simple claim, the foundation of what became known as ordinary language philosophy, has animated thinkers across disciplinary bounds from metaphysics to ethics and more. In The Senses of Use, Sandra Laugier embarks on a fresh journey through Wittgenstein's corpus that emphasizes the place of ordinary life and language in its thought. Through his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, Philosophical Investigations, and rich posthumously published works, Laugier offers a compelling new look at Wittgenstein as a philosopher of mind.
Reviews / Votes
"In this elegant and thoughtfully composed book, Laugier provides a route to the philosophy of Wittgenstein that should be valuable for new and veteran readers alike. Laugier centers 'use' or our traffic with words and, without distracting technicalities, insightfully traces central lines of Wittgenstein's thought. She brings in an appealingly broad set of references to contemporary philosophy, including, notably, the French reception of Wittgenstein." -- Alice Crary, The New School "Wittgenstein: The Senses of Use is a brilliant overview of Wittgenstein's philosophy. In it, France's foremost expert on ordinary language philosophy, Sandra Laugier, writes with exceptional clarity and explains why Wittgenstein is a genuinely revolutionary philosopher, someone who makes us see ourselves and the world afresh. By focusing on Wittgenstein's fundamental notion of 'use,' Laugier demonstrates that his rethinking of language is also a rethinking of the very foundations of philosophy of mind and of ethics. Anyone trying to grasp what Wittgenstein is doing in Philosophical Investigations should read this book." -- Toril Moi, Duke UniversityMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
482 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-82457-4 (9780226824574)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Sandra Laugier is professor of philosophy at the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and a senior fellow of the Institut Universitaire de France. Her books in English include Why We Need Ordinary Language Philosophy, also published by the University of Chicago Press. Daniela Ginsburg is a freelance translator. She cotranslated Knowledge of Life by Georges Canguilhem.
Content
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Uses of (Non-)Sense
Chapter 2: Sites of Mind
Chapter 3: Forms of Life
Chapter 4: The Voice of the Subject
Chapter 5: Visions of the Good
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Chapter 1: The Uses of (Non-)Sense
Chapter 2: Sites of Mind
Chapter 3: Forms of Life
Chapter 4: The Voice of the Subject
Chapter 5: Visions of the Good
Notes
Bibliography
Index