Wittgenstein Book

Bloor's book presents a systematic exposition of Wittgenstein's later philosophical work, emphasizing its strong sociological and naturalist thrust. In his later writings, Wittgenstein was consistent in stressing the priority of society over the individual and regarding individual actions and beliefs as natural phenomena. His appreciation of the full significance of the fact that people are social animals and that knowledge is a collective achievement led him into building what might be called 'a social theory of knowledge.' Bloor shows how Wittgenstein's ideas can be developed using examples drawn from history, anthropology, and the social sciences. The book breaks out of the narrow conventions that usually surround discussions of Wittgenstein's works, not only by its use of empirical material, but also through the author's attempt to develop a systematic theory of language-games. Throughout the book, careful attention is paid to the relationship between Wittgenstein's ideas and those of other thinkers, such as Bühler, Quentin Skinner, Habermas, Durkheim, Mary Douglas, and Peter Winch.