Cyril Barrett – författare

In 1938 Wittgenstein delivered a short course of lectures on aesthetics to a small group of students at Cambridge. The present volume has been compiled from notes taken down at the time by three of the students: Rush Rhees, Yorick Smythies, and James Taylor. They have been supplemented by notes of conversations on Freud (to whom reference was made in the course on aesthetics) between Wittgenstein and Rush Rhees, and by notes of some lectures on religious belief. As very little is known of Wittgenstein's views on these subjects from his published works, these notes should be of considerable interest to students of contemporary philosophy. Further, their fresh and informal style should recommend Wittgenstein to those who find his Tractatus and Philosophical Investigations a little formidable.

The ethical and religious views of an influential philosopherThe twentieth century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein is perhaps best known for his works related to logic and language. Wittgenstein on Ethics and Religious Belief offers insight into the philosopher's thoughts on value in ethics and religion. Barrett shares how Wittgenstein's views of ethics and religion are in keeping, at least to some extent, with more traditional theological and philosophical beliefs. The author maintains that the philosopher considered it highly important to relate his thoughts on the two interwoven topics.