Ludwig Wittgenstein: the Duty of Genius

New York: Free Press, 1990. 1st American ed., third printing (number line). Quarto in full-color illus jacket (dark blue spine); xviii, 654 pages, 32 unnumbered pages of plates: illustrations; 25 cm; bibliographical references (pages 587-646) and index. Fine in fine(-) with a wee bit of edge-rubbing to botom spine region of jacket(see photos); else as new. . Hardcover. ISBN: 0029216702

A very crisp copy. / Contents: Introduction ---- I. 1889-1919. 1. The Laboratory for Self-destruction --- 2. 2. Manchester --- 3. Russell's Protégé --- 4. Russell's Master --- 5. Norway --- 6. Behind the Lines --- 7. At the Front ---- II. 1919-1928. 8. The Unprintable Truth --- 9. "An Entirely Rural Affair" --- 10. Out of the Wilderness ---- III. 1929-41. 11. The Second Coming --- 12. The "Verificationist Phase" --- 13. The Fog Clears --- 14. A New Beginning --- 15. Francis --- 16. Language-games: The Blue and Brown Books --- 17. Joining the Ranks --- 18. Confessions --- 19. Finis Austriae --- 20. The Reluctant Professor ---- IV. 1941-51. 21. War Work --- 22. Swansea --- 23. The Darkness of This Time --- 24. A Change of Aspect --- 25. Ireland --- 26. A Citizen of No Community --- 27. Storeys End ---- Appendix: Bartley's Wittgenstein and the Coded Remarks. / "Ludwig Wittgenstein is perhaps the greatest philosopher of the twentieth century, and certainly one of the most original in the entire Western tradition. Given the inaccessibility of his work, it is remarkable that he has inspired poems, paintings, films, musical compositions, titles of books -- and even novels. In his splendid biography, Ray Monk has made this very compelling human being come alive in a way that perfectly explains the fascination he has evoked. Wittgenstein's life was one of great moral and spiritual depth. Although his work addresses problems of logic, language, mind, and knowledge, he often described it as having an ethical point, and once said that he "could not help seeing every problem from a religious point of view." In successfully bridging the gap assumed by many to exist between Wittgenstein's life and his work, Monk's biography helps to explain the interest in Wittgenstein's later philosophy on the part of Buddhist scholars." — Publisher / Philosophers -- Austria -- Biography. Philosophy -- Austria -- 20th century. Philosophers -- Great Britain -- Biography. Philosophy -- Great Britain -- 20th century. Philosophers -- Great Britain -- Biography. Philosophes -- Autriche -- Biographies. Philosophes -- Grande-Bretagne -- Biographies. Philosophie -- Autriche -- 20e siècle. Philosophes -- Grande-Bretagne -- Biographies. Philosophie -- Grande-Bretagne -- 20e siècle. Philosophers. Philosophy. Philosophers -- Austria -- 20th century. Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951.