Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
6.36 explained
Wittgenstein argues that the law of causality, if expressed as a proposition, would merely state that there are natural laws.
What happens
Wittgenstein argues that the law of causality, if expressed as a proposition, would merely state that there are natural laws. However, this cannot be said as a meaningful proposition; it shows itself in the operation of natural laws.
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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
- Nonsense and Meaning
The proposition about the law of causality cannot be said meaningfully; it shows itself.
- Limits of Language and Thought
The ineffability of the law of causality illustrates the limits of what can be said.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the proposition and the argument about the law of causality showing itself.
Key passages
“If there were a law of causality, it might run: “There are natural laws.” But that can clearly not be said: it shows itself.”
If causality were formulated as a law, it would simply assert the existence of natural laws. Yet this assertion cannot be expressed in language; it is made manifest through the laws themselves.
Wittgenstein distinguishes between what can be said and what shows itself.
