Wittgenstein and Scientism

de Jonathan Beale, Ian James Kidd

Wittgenstein wrote critically about science, accusing it of "putting man to sleep". This volume is the first study of Wittgenstein's scientism - a theme in his work that is both clearly central to his thought yet strikingly neglected by the existing literature. This volume explores the philosophical basis of Wittgenstein's anti-scientism; how this anti-scientism helps us understand Wittgenstein's philosophical aims; and how this underlies his later conception of philosophy and the kind of philosophy he attacked. The chapters explore and articulate Wittgenstein's views on scientism and anti-scientism, critically assess them, and consider how they apply to topics such as mind and psychology, philosophical practice, the nature of religious belief, and the place of science in modern culture.