Style and Nature: the philosophic text as its author’s image

Abstract

When the style Wittgenstein shows in his Philosophical Investigations is analyzed, some authors take it as a mere eccentricity of the Viennese thinker, whilst many others consider it as a consequence derived from the peculiar method used in the Philosophical Investigations for dissolving philosophical problems by describing the way in which we mix and misuse language-games. However, we offer in this work a different perspective of Wittgenstein’s conception of style by analyzing a series of remarks in which he takes the style of his writings as an expression of his own nature: to be precise, the style someone shows when he writes about himself shapes an image of his own and non-transferable natur, which should guide all of his acts. Therefore Wittgenstein thinks this kind of self-knowledge is essential not only to live in a decent way, but also to become a deep philosopher.