Wittgenstein's Method

Reviews / Votes

Gordon Baker, together with P. M . S. Hacker, was instrumental inthe elaboration of what has become the standard interpretation ofWittgenstein's later work. In a dramatic turnabout, in his lateryears, Baker came to the conclusion that that interpretation, whichhe had done so much to help consolidate, was fundamentally flawed,exegetically and philosophically. He embarked on the task ofputting forward a radically new interpretation of Wittgenstein'slater philosophy -- an interpretation which has seemed to some tobe a perverse dismantling of his life's work, while seeming toothers, myself included, to open up exciting new possibilities andto help put us in a position to better understand what Wittgensteinwas really up to. Baker was in the midst of developing this newinterpretation in a series of articles, when his tragic early deathbrought the project to an abrupt halt. This volume collects thosearticles. Any serious student of Wittgenstein's philosophy willwant to own this book. James Conant, University ofChicago `The essays in this volume are replete with a wealth ofhistorical and linguistic detail. They contain the combination ofcareful textual exegesis and rigorous analysis which wascharacteristic of Baker's work generally.' Dr Mark Addis,International Journal of Philosophical Studies (2005)