No Wonder We're Confused By Wittgenstein
A little Wittgenstein translation.
Almost no-one can understand a word of Wittgenstein in English, despite the fact that he is generally considered one of the most important thinkers of the 20th Century. Everyone assumes he is important because no-one can understand him, in fact no-one can understand how important he is because he is so miserably translated.
Generally the translations only translate his words in a literal manner, while making no attempt to translate his meaning or intention. So in fact, it is not translated at all.
The problem is that in Wittgenstein's English translations the use of common meanings for small everyday words is particularly poor, which is always a danger with non native speakers, but which often severely distorts Wittgenstein’s intention.
Fortunately small words are my specialty.
Unfortunately I don't have time to do this properly yet.
But when/if I ever get around to it I shall make new translations of Wittgenstein's 7 fundamental propositions from Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. That at least will set people on the correct route into Wittgenstein's thought.
Don't even ask me how I can do this. It's all magic.
Coming Soon!
Well not soon..
But eventually.
The actual translation which will come here needs revised and I have to sort out Shakespeare first..
You can go ahead and do it for me!
The world will thank you.
So...
This is all for now. It’s pretty darn boring to do!
Previously..
Hopefully you can already see how English speakers have been accidentally mislead as to the intention and byzantine complexity of Wittgenstein.
This is particularly disappointing since one of his primary intentions was the pursuit of clarity in understandings of language.
See – it wasn’t you who was dumb all along!
Someone should really make a proper translation of all his work. Not me.
