Family Resemblances A Thesis about the Change of Meaning over Time

Abstract: I argue that close examination of Wittgenstein’s remarks on family resemblances (PI 65-67) shows that he is proposing a theory about the development of language over time. According to this theory, a concept is enlarged to a newly discovered object when it is similar to other objects falling under this concept. However, being empirical, theories of language-development cannot be regarded as philosophical positions. I therefore argue that Wittgenstein puts forward this theory only for therapeutical reasons. He thereby wants to bring the metaphysical question “Why do we call all games ‘games’?” back to its everyday use

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Family Resemblances A Thesis about the Change of Meaning over Time ; volume:1 ; number:18 ; year:2004 ; pages:15-24 ; extent:10 ; Kriterion ; 1, Heft 18 (2004), 15-24 (gesamt 10)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Prien, Bernd

Further information

• DOI: 10.1515/krt-2004-011805
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022090314483790983730
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:22 AM CEST