Luddy

We have been reading Wittgenstein in my book group. Though his stuff is a bit tricky (perhaps it's the translation), he's easier to read than I expected.

I have no breaking news on Ludwig, but here are some interesting facts I picked up while checking up on him.

He went to high school with Hitler.

He came from a very rich family and but gave away his money. However, he gave it to his sisters, since he figured they were already rich and it wouldn't corrupt them.

Four of his five brothers committed suicide.

He wrote the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus while in his 20s. It was his only work of philosophy published during his lifetime and it revolutionized the field. In fact, he felt he had solved all the problem of philosophy so gave it up for almost a decade. During this period, one of his jobs was as a gardener at a monastery.

One of the messages of the Tractatus is all talk about metaphysics is nonsensical--including what's written in the Tractatus.

He inspired and hung out with the logical positivists in Vienna, but claimed they didn't understand what he was saying.

He enjoyed mystery novels and westerns.

It's reported he got into a tussle with Karl Popper at Cambridge in 1946.

He died at the age of 62. His last words were "Tell them I've had a wonderful life."