Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
3.203 explained
Wittgenstein asserts that a name means its object, and the object is the meaning of the name, emphasizing the identity of the sign with itself.
What happens
Wittgenstein asserts that a name means its object, and the object is the meaning of the name, emphasizing the identity of the sign with itself.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the story’s dramatic climax because it presents the moment when the protagonist’s obsessive…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Logical Atomism
The proposition exemplifies logical atomism by treating names as directly linked to simple objects.
- Picture Theory of Language
The identity of sign and meaning reflects the picture theory, where names picture their objects.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the proposition, defining the relation between name and object.
Key passages
“The name means the object. The object is its meaning. (“ a ” is the same sign as “ a ”.)”
A name refers to an object, and that object constitutes the name's meaning; the sign 'a' is identical to itself.
Clarifies the direct correspondence between name and object in Wittgenstein's logical atomism.
