Form in the Service of Method: How to Read Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations

Abstract

This paper argues that contradictory interpretations of Wittgenstein’s philosophical activity in the Philosophical Investigations are due to the specific dialogue form of the text. This makes it impossible to discern any explicit and unambiguous position that we can attribute to the author and is consistent with the text itself. However, this is not a shortcoming of the text based on its author's psychological features – on the contrary, it is essential to Wittgenstein’s authorial strategy. Once such a perspective is established, the Investigations are revealed as a polyphonic text which examines divergent philosophical problems from multiple perspectives through the interplay of different voices, thereby not giving any definite answers to them. Furthermore, the polyphonic dialogical form is inseparably connected to Wittgenstein’s conception or, better yet, conversion of philosophy itself.