Wittgenstein’s Critique of Russell’s Multiple Relation Theory of Judgement

Wittgenstein’s May-June 1913 critique of Russell’s multiple-relation theory of judgement (or MRTJ) marked a crucial turning point in the lives of two great twentieth-century thinkers.It was also a watershed moment within the history of analytic philosophy itself.Yet scholarly consensus around a satisfactory interpretation of the nature of the critique, the extent of and reasons for its impact on Russell, along with the role it played within Wittgenstein’s development have remained elusive.With these facts in mind, this book aims to accomplish four interrelated goals.The first is to develop a compelling reading of Wittgenstein’s May-June 1913 critique of Russell’s MRTJ.The second is to defend this reading, called the ‘logical interpretation’ (or LI) against its most prominent competitors in the scholarly literature.Third, the book aims to situate Wittgenstein’s critique of the MRTJ and Russell’s reaction to it, within the broader context of each of Wittgenstein’s and Russell’s respectiv