Abstract

I study the relations between language, logic and formal meaning structures as these concepts and relationships change during Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophical career. I work from a feminist perspective on language and logic which assumes a posture of intellectual activism and which reads Wittgenstein's philosophy of language for a variety of purposes best characterized as cultural critique. ;The first two essays deal directly with logic, language, and formal meaning structures as these shape, and are shaped by, feminist thinking about philosophical problems such as universalism, essentialism, sameness/difference, and epistemological perspective. In the second essay, contrasts between Wittgenstein's changing understandings of logic and the concept 'language games' are foregrounded. In conjunction with Wittgenstein's critical reassessment of his early philosophical thinking, I discuss Wittgenstein's concept 'family resemblance' and its interpretive relevance for feminist standpoint theory. ;The last two essays focus on the tasks of philosophy, especially Wittgenstein's radical understanding of philosophical methods, as well as the duty of philosophical reflection in times of "expert" discourses. Here the feminist approach is to broaden discussion of philosophy of language by moving away from narrow professionalized analytic considerations, toward more inclusive, democratic and professionally critical forms of interpretation of language use and modes of thinking. These considerations pay attention to the power-ful, often culturally dominant, nature of "expert" language games. Wittgenstein's understanding of 'will', 'limits', 'duty', and 'pride' anchor my arguments about the connections between philosophy as a study of language use/misuses and the philosopher as having a responsibility to circumscribe the power language usage entails. ;Wittgenstein's understanding of the fundamental significance of the charge to do honest philosophy--to stay aware of the various and powerful games we play with words--is a major feature of my arguments. How we carry out this charge substantially affects the power these games have over the public, common and democratic languages of a culture. The final essays, as well as the epilogue, use the feminist interpretation of logic and language set out in the first two essays to broaden the typical reach philosophy of language has had in helping build multicultural understandings of the public tasks of and uses for philosophy.