The Unfeasibility of Wittgensteinʼs Transgressus Logico-Philosophicus

Two recent publications take opposed views of the scope of Tractarian logic. According to Mauro Luiz Engelmann it is empty of any content, only contain-ing what we already know a priori. Jaap van der Does and Martin Stokhof, on the other hand, want to establish its status as applied logic, intrinsically intertwined with reality. This point of contention between the authors revolves around the coherence of the entire system of the book. „Application of logic“ is easy to say, but indicates the highly complex issue of the interface between logic as self-contained, systematic prerequisite of vis-à-vis creative intervention into the world.

At this point, several central theoretical assumptions of the TLP must be coordinated with one another. Logic provides the framework for every meaningful linguistic utterance once and for all – namely for propositions whose content it cannot anticipate. The guiding formula TLP 6 claims to provide a bridge between the unforeseeable factual forms of elementary propositions and their unalterable general predetermination. The article argues that this solution cannot succeed according to Wittgenstein’s own premises. This unsuccessful bridge-building marks the systematic denouement of the TLP as far as arguments are concerned. The subsequent speculations about meaning and silence are an aftertaste.