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TRAMES. A Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
ISSN 1736-7514 (Electronic)
ISSN 1406-0922 (Print)
Impact Factor (2022): 0.2
WITTGENSTEIN’S TRACTATUS 3.333 AND RUSSELL’S PARADOX; pp. 179–197
PDF | doi: 10.3176/tr.2009.2.06

Author
Urmas Sutrop
Abstract
In his ‘Tractatus logico-philosophicus’, Ludwig Wittgenstein declares that he has solved Russell’s paradox. He presents the solution in a prima facie simple formula “(Φ) : F(Φu) . Φu = Fu”. This solution is disregarded both by the Russellians and most Wittgensteinians. In this paper I try to read the above formula and translate it into a class membership language (CML). I show that this formula contradicts Russell’s logic. I investigate and compare the different forms of this formula in Wittgenstein’s manuscripts and in the different editions of the ‘Tractatus’. I also take a look at the different interpretations of this formula in literature. My position is that Wittgenstein created his own transcendental logic that can show self-referential (reflexive) sentences without reflexivity.
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Papers in manuscript
 

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