Time of the Magicians
Wittgenstein, Benjamin, Cassirer, Heidegger, and the Decade That Reinvented Philosophy
Summary:
The book delves into the intellectual lives and philosophical developments of four influential 20th-century thinkers during the 1920s, a transformative period for modern philosophy. It explores how Ludwig Wittgenstein, Walter Benjamin, Ernst Cassirer, and Martin Heidegger each challenged existing paradigms, laying the groundwork for contemporary philosophical thought.
Key points:
1. Wittgenstein's Revolution in Language: Eilenberger's book discusses Wittgenstein's "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus," which redefined language's limits and meaning. Wittgenstein argued that words' meanings come from their use in "language games," and many philosophical issues stem from language misunderstandings.
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