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To be honest, I have never much trusted this Wittgenstein. Not accepting Gödel's incompleteness theorems and now a plagiarist too. That fits.

It could have been Russell's bad influence. Though I know I'm just making excuses here.

A complot against Gödel? Maybe Gödel wasn't paranoid after all. Or he was paranoid, and they were also people out there to get him.

Couldn't agree more. Wittgenstein's On Certainty looks like a complete rip-off of Elbert Hubbard's A Message to Garcia, a book, as the publisher notes "often used in business and life as a motivational example to readers of applying a positive attitude towards achieving a successful life."

Glenn wrote: "Couldn't agree more. Wittgenstein's On Certainty looks like a complete rip-off of Elbert Hubbard's A Message to Garcia, a book, as the publisher notes "often used in business and life as a motivati..."

Good point, Glenn! Note that A Message to Garcia has been filmed twice, but has anyone even optioned On Certainty? I didn't think so.

Manny wrote: "Glenn wrote: "Couldn't agree more. Wittgenstein's On Certainty looks like a complete rip-off of Elbert Hubbard's A Message to Garcia, a book, as the publisher notes "often used in business and life..."

I think you're right - On Certainly has never been optioned. It's closest connection to film is the fact that, as I understand, Francis Ford Coppola read it unceasingly during his filming of Apocalypse Now.

Glenn wrote: "I think you're right - On Certainly has never been optioned. It's closest connection to film is the fact that, as I understand, Francis Ford Coppola read it unceasingly during his filming of Apocalypse Now."

You know, I always thought it was the Blue and Brown Books. But when I look it up, I see that was during The Godfather II.

Matt wrote: "A complot against Gödel? Maybe Gödel wasn't paranoid after all. Or he was paranoid, and they were also people out there to get him."
Well, you know the old saying: 'just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean people aren't following me..'

This is a joke right? The main objective of Tractatus is to reform Frege's system of logic and Wittgenstein sets it up by discussing the proper interpretation of propositions. The metaphysical nonsense in the end is inconsequential and trivial in terms of history of philosophy.

Tekin wrote: "This is a joke right? The main objective of Tractatus is to reform Frege's system of logic and Wittgenstein sets it up by discussing the proper interpretation of propositions. The metaphysical nons..."

Tekin, I reluctantly admit that I was not entirely serious. But given that the final sentence of the Tractatus is by far the most widely cited part of it, the joke was kind of irresistible.

PS And for people who haven't had enough Tractatus jokes today, I posted another one here. I'm thinking of turning this into a stand-up routine.

Manny wrote: "PS And for people who haven't had enough Tractatus jokes today, I posted another one here. I'm thinking of turning this into a stand-up routine."

But Manny - and I apologise for spoiling the magic here -, are these five stars sincere? And if so, why?

Well, the joke is extremely well done, and he was one of the first people to think of it...

What about those good old Zen masters? I suppose they didn't put their high-jinx in print.

What's the sound of one Manny clapping?

Dominic - You pose such a provocative question, I wouldn't want to spoil it with an answer.

May I take this opportunity to recommend Zen Comics ?

Thanks Glenn! I just finished reading 'Zen in the Art of Archery', so I'm in a Zen mood. But, as I'm sure you both know, there's quite a lot of work around the relationship between Wittgenstein and Zen - I'm just poaching. Zen Comics looks fun.

Glenn wrote: "I think you're right - On Certainly has never been optioned. It's closest connection to film is the fact that, as I understand, Francis Ford Coppola read it unceasingly during his filming of Apocalypse Now. "

Well, at least some good came out of it!