Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
4.022 explained
A proposition displays its sense by showing how things would be if it were true, and it asserts that they are indeed that way.
What happens
A proposition displays its sense by showing how things would be if it were true, and it asserts that they are indeed that way.
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
- Picture Theory of Language
The proposition shows its sense, acting as a picture of reality.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the Tractatus, presenting the nature of propositions.
Key passages
“The proposition shows its sense. The proposition shows how things stand, if it is true. And it says , that they do so stand.”
A proposition displays its meaning by depicting the state of affairs that would make it true, and it claims that those affairs actually obtain.
Clarifies the dual role of a proposition: showing its sense and asserting truth.
