Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
6.113 explained
Wittgenstein distinguishes logical propositions from non-logical ones by noting that the truth of logical propositions is perceptible from the symbol alone, a fact that encapsulates the entire philosophy of logic, whereas the truth or false
What happens
Wittgenstein distinguishes logical propositions from non-logical ones by noting that the truth of logical propositions is perceptible from the symbol alone, a fact that encapsulates the entire philosophy of logic, whereas the truth or falsehood of non-logical propositions cannot be recognized solely from the propositions themselves.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- 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
- Logic and Tautology
Logical propositions are true by virtue of their symbolic form alone, a key insight into the nature of tautology.
- Limits of Language and Thought
The distinction between logical and non-logical propositions highlights the boundaries of what can be expressed and known through language.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the Tractatus, presenting the distinctive mark of logical propositions.
Key passages
“It is the characteristic mark of logical propositions that one can perceive in the symbol alone that they are true; and this fact contains in itself the whole philosophy of logic.”
The defining feature of logical propositions is that their truth can be seen just by looking at the symbols used, and this observation sums up the entire philosophy of logic.
Wittgenstein emphasizes that logical truth is self-evident from the form of the proposition.
“And so also it is one of the most important facts that the truth or falsehood of non-logical propositions can not be recognized from the propositions alone.”
Similarly, a crucial point is that for non-logical propositions, we cannot determine their truth or falsehood just by examining the propositions themselves.
This contrast underscores the unique status of logical truths.
