The Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society pursues two main goals: As implied by the name “Wittgenstein Society,” its first goal is the analysis, tradition, and dissemination of Wittgenstein’s philosophy. Confronted with the mass of present-day Wittgenstein research in the English-speaking countries, this might look like carrying coals to Newcastle. But it should be kept in mind that in many European countries Wittgenstein’s philosophy, and Analytic Philosophy in general, were – and up to a point still are – in a minority position. This situation is the reason for the society’s second main goal: to continue a philosophy which had strong roots in Austria (as well as in other countries): Analytic Philosophy (Wittgenstein) and philosophy of science (Vienna Circle). The emphasis, then, is not on the history of philosophy. The aim is to discuss present-day problems in the framework of a philosophy which is methodologically explicit and whose results are presented perspicuously. The spectrum of philosophical problems extends from philosophy of science, epistemology and logic to ethics and the humanities. The Austrian Wittgenstein Society is well aware that such a philosophy cannot – and should not – be an arcane discipline with the society acting as its church. The society, then, strives to be a forum for all those who are interested in a scientifically oriented philosophy. The most important forum are the annual Wittgenstein Symposia and the publications of the Wittgenstein Society.
Goals
