Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
5.1363 explained
Wittgenstein argues that the obviousness of a proposition does not justify belief in its truth, challenging the notion that self-evidence can serve as a foundation for knowledge.
What happens
Wittgenstein argues that the obviousness of a proposition does not justify belief in its truth, challenging the notion that self-evidence can serve as a foundation for knowledge.
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…
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Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Critique of Traditional Philosophy
Undermines the traditional reliance on self-evidence as a criterion for truth.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the proposition, critiquing the epistemic value of obviousness.
Key passages
“If from the fact that a proposition is obvious to us it does not follow that it is true, then obviousness is no justification for our belief in its truth.”
The mere appearance of obviousness in a statement does not guarantee its truth, so obviousness cannot legitimately support our conviction that the statement is true.
Wittgenstein rejects obviousness as a valid epistemic justification.
