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On Certainty
The New Translation
Brief Description
The German text, with a facing English translation by P. M. S. Hacker. Ludwig Wittgenstein's On Certainty collects the final notes of one of the twentieth century’s most influential thinkers, written during the last eighteen months of his life. These posthumously published fragments reflect on questions...
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On Certainty
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"This new edition of Wittgenstein's On Certainty, translated by Peter Hacker, presents a seminal work in epistemology. It features a bilingual German-English text, detailed editorial notes, and an introductory essay exploring the work's development. Appendices offer translations of related Wittgenstein manuscripts, enriching this authoritative translation"-- Provided by publisher.
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Description
The German text, with a facing English translation by P. M. S. Hacker.
Ludwig Wittgenstein's On Certainty collects the final notes of one of the twentieth century’s most influential thinkers, written during the last eighteen months of his life. These posthumously published fragments reflect on questions of knowledge, doubt, and belief. They offer a distinctive perspective on Wittgenstein's late philosophy and contain many remarks which have greatly influenced epistemological debate in the ensuing decades.
This new translation by P. M. S. Hacker offers a clear and improved rendering of the original German, restoring features of the manuscripts that are essential for understanding the text. Presented in a facing-page German–English format, the edition is clear and readable for both students and scholars. It includes a detailed introductory essay on the genesis of the text and benefits from extensive textual notes that support deeper engagement with Wittgenstein’s arguments.
The text also includes several appendices with new translations of select excerpts from other late Wittgenstein manuscripts with reflections on knowledge, belief, doubt, and certainty.
This definitive translation and edition of On Certainty enables readers to engage thoughtfully with Wittgenstein's final thoughts on the limits of doubt and the grounding of belief. Enhanced by Hacker's expertise, it is an invaluable resource for those studying epistemology, philosophy of language, or Wittgenstein's later work.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781394324637
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 21 August 2025
Country: United States
Imprint: Wiley-Blackwell
Contributors:
- Edited by P. M. S. Hacker
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 18.0mm
Width: 150.0mm
Height: 224.0mm
Weight: 363g
Pages: 272
About the Author
P. M. S. HACKER is an Emeritus Fellow at St John’s College, Oxford, and one of the world’s leading authorities on the philosophy of Wittgenstein. He has authored 25 books and over 175 papers, with significant contributions to the philosophy of language, mind, and neuroscience. His works include Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience (co-authored with M. R. Bennett) and the four-volume Human Nature series.
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