A short account of the genesis and present state of English linguistic philosophy. Warnock looks briefly at the metaphysicians at the turn of the century, and then goes through the work of Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, and Ryle, to that of Austin and Strawson. The book is mainly expository, and includes chapters on logic and metaphysics as these are related to linguistic philosophy. Sometimes Warnock's style is as mannered as it is lucid, but it is lucid nevertheless; a fine introduction to (...) linguistic philosophy --B. N. F. (shrink)

This limpidly composed memoir should fascinate anyone interested in Wittgenstein. It consists of personal reminiscences, letters from Wittgenstein, and some straight philosophical material in the form of - notes, taken by Malcolm at the time, on lectures and conversations. A revised version of the already-published biographical sketch of Wittgenstein by von Wright is included.--B. N. F.

These books were dictated by Wittgenstein to pupils between 1933 and 1935, and present an earlier version of the ideas of the Philosophical Investigations. Wittgenstein's main concern is with problems of meaning, but this leads him to consider many connected problems, particularly in the philosophy of mind. Part of the interest of these books is historical, since manuscript copies of them helped to spread Wittgenstein's influence in the '30's and '40's; but they are also important philosophically, for they cast new (...) light on the problems of the Investigations.--B. N. F. (shrink)