World Famous Comics: Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers
Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers
By: David Edmonds, John Eidinow Publisher: Harper Perennial Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Harper Perennial Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 352 Publication Date: September 01, 2002 Release Date: September 17, 2002
On October 25, 1946, in a crowded room in Cambridge, England, the great twentieth-century philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper came face to face for the first and only time. The meeting -- which lasted ten minutes -- did not go well. Their loud and aggressive confrontation became the stuff of instant legend, but precisely what happened during that brief confrontation remained for decades the subject of intense disagreement.
An engaging mix of philosophy, history, biography, and literary detection, Wittgenstein's Poker explores, through the Popper/Wittgenstein confrontation, the history of philosophy in the twentieth century. It evokes the tumult of fin-de-siécle Vienna, Wittgentein's and Popper's birthplace; the tragedy of the Nazi takeover of Austria; and postwar Cambridge University, with its eccentric set of philosophy dons, including Bertrand Russell. At the center of the story stand the two giants of philosophy themselves -- proud, irascible, larger than life -- and spoiling for a fight.
Ring of Fire "Wittgenstein's Poker" is a fascinating exploration of the (in)famous debate between Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, 20th century philosophers whose ideas have informed the post-modern philosophy of today. Both were Austrian Jews who had fled to the safety of England. Both struggled with their identities as Jews in a hostile environment. While Popper was from the middle class, Wittgenstein was an aristocrat. Popper was happily married; Wittgenstein struggled with being gay. Popper thought philosophy tackled real problems, Wittgenstein thought philosophy resulted from linguistic misunderstandings.
"Wittgenstein's Poker" is engrossing in its biographies of both men, as well as their dramatic confrontation. It is an adventure of ideas. It's also good as an introduction to the philosophies of Popper and Wittgenstein, inviting further exploration. "Wittgenstein's Poker" sets the mind on fire.
Evaporation of Problem vs. Puzzle This is a fascinating read of a supposed ten-minute exchange between two great philosophers. One wanted to contest the gist of philosophy being puzzles, the other a defense of such. In this verbal sparring that supposedly went on at a university moral society club meeting, what actually occurred in this ten minutes has been under dispute ever since. The authors do a fine job of providing background for the reader to get caught up in this debate, providing backgrounds of lifes of the two involved, Wittgenstein and Popper, as well as other influential thinkers there that day, as well as academic setting, etc.
I react towards the amount of philosophy of this encounter that they provide just enough to allow the reader outside this area of expertise enough to have some insight into the highly charged meeting of these two great thinkers. One can always delve more into their writings and also into the history of philosophy if desired.
I titled this review by pulling the alleged polarity between the two thinkers wrapped around the authors' summation of which of the two won?: "The battle was not over, neither won nor lost; it had simply evaporated."
Great fun as an introduction or a refresher Wittgenstein's Poker is a journalistic account of a short debate between Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, refereed by Bertran Russell and several other philosophers. Over the years the debate has become legendary among philosophers, with several different accounts of what occurred that evening.
The authors summarize the debate in the 20th Chapter entitled "Slum Landlords and Pet Aversions". Popper went to the meeting "hoping to provoke Wittgenstein into defending the view that there are no genuine philosophical problems...." Wittgenstein broke into Popper's presentation asserting the non-existence of problems; there are only puzzles. Popper countered with infinity [just mathematics according o Wittgenstein], induction [logic, not philosophy] and causation.
Popper argued that Wittgenstein's assertion that there are only puzzles is a philosophical claim, which itself is a philosophical problem, perhaps the only philosophical problem, but a problem nonetheless. Wittgenstein recognized the force of this proposition and remained silent; "Whereof one can not speak, thereof one must remain silent."
The poker comes into the debate when Wittgenstein picks it up and waves it about. Controversy swirls over Wittgenstein's intent: a physical attack on Popper, a method of emphasizing his points, relief from intense emotions?
Whatever the purpose, all participants agree that Wittgenstein left the meeting. Edmonds and Eidinow are left to put this short debate into the fascinating and complicated history of the two Austrian philosophers and their interaction in post war Cambridge. The human stories bring Popper, Wittgenstein and others to life in a very satisfying manner.
Having read all of the Amazon reviews, and several others, it appears the reader will have very different reactions depending on their own philosophical training. A general reader will find many of the puzzles, rather problems [puzzles?, problems?] interesting but not essential to the human stories. Well trained philosophers will accept or reject the book depending on their own positions on Russell, Popper, Wittgenstein I, or Wittgenstein II.
At one time, I was deeply involved in symbolic logic, worshiping Russell's work and struggling with the argument that a yellow sun was some proof for the proposition that all ravens are black. The book recharged my excitement over those logical and philosophical studies, but served, even more, to make these important philosophers come alive.
All in all, this was a very satisfying journey, chaotic in part, but proving one of Wittgenstein's lessons: "I know that queer things happen in this world. It's one of the few things I've really learned in my life."
Robert C. Ross 2008
Amusing and interesting poking The authors are poking about in a mostly interesting way, but for a philosopher the middle of the book containes a bit too much detailed information on what lies outside the story of the poker incident and the philosophically interesting bits. However, in the end the threads are all gathered up nicely, and the book is safely recommended to those who find the personalities of great philosophers interesting.
Just Poking around This is a fine read to get some sense of both Popper and Wittgenstein and the culture in which they grew up and then influenced. Written in accessible language- somewhat short on philosophy but keeps ones interest easily and is a good introduction to Wittgenstein from my perspective.
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