In this paper, I propose an analysis of the quite original Wittgenstein naturalism. Wittgenstein included human language into the wider category of animal language. Wittgenstein’s naturalism clearly shows itself in his ethological description of human language – a description based on the frequent and illuminating com- parison between non-human animal and human animal behaviors. According to Wittgenstein, each language is relative to a species-specific “form of life.” Therefore, the differences between animal (human and non-human) languages are differences in the kind of actions that each “form of life” can realize through its own language. Consequently, between human and animal language there is not a difference in kind; rather, the difference between them is a difference between the relative “forms of life.” Inside such a naturalistic frame, Wittgenstein never forgets that human lan- guage is part of animal languages.

WITTGENSTEIN ON ANIMAL (HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN) LANGUAGES

CIMATTI, Felice
2016-01-01

Abstract

In this paper, I propose an analysis of the quite original Wittgenstein naturalism. Wittgenstein included human language into the wider category of animal language. Wittgenstein’s naturalism clearly shows itself in his ethological description of human language – a description based on the frequent and illuminating com- parison between non-human animal and human animal behaviors. According to Wittgenstein, each language is relative to a species-specific “form of life.” Therefore, the differences between animal (human and non-human) languages are differences in the kind of actions that each “form of life” can realize through its own language. Consequently, between human and animal language there is not a difference in kind; rather, the difference between them is a difference between the relative “forms of life.” Inside such a naturalistic frame, Wittgenstein never forgets that human lan- guage is part of animal languages.
2016
Wittgenstein; animal language; human nature
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11770/144670
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