David Peat

74 From Certainty to Uncertaintyimposing edifice of his system,” as with many metaphysical systems,was founded on a logical mistake. 1 Indeed in his first significant philosophicalwork, A Critical Exposition of the Philosophy of Leibniz (1900)he argued that metaphysical arguments follow from the way languagedivides the world into subject and predicate. 2In reaction to Idealism, Russell wished to develop a philosophy ofextreme clarity he called “logical atomism.” His idea was to begin withthe things we can know for certain about the world. In the main theseare scientific statements. Russell took these as the logical buildingblocks or starting points for his system. He called these the “logicalatoms.” Just as molecules are built out of atoms, and the world aroundus out of molecules, so logical atomism would build a clear, coherent,and rational philosophy through a combination of logical atoms. Proceedingin this way Russell hoped to arrive at statements about theworld that would be free from logical inconsistencies and confusions.As it turned out, Russell’s own student, Ludwig Wittgenstein, demonstratedthe futility of this program. While language can, to someextent, be confined by the rigors of logic, through its ability to engagein metaphor, tolerate ambiguity, and embrace paradox and multiplicity,language is far happier creating jokes, making love, singing to children,exchanging gossip, praying, and writing poetry than it is in discussingthe philosophy of the world. We may try to regulate and restrictlanguage, but as soon as we begin to talk together language escapesfrom our control and goes its own way. In rejecting Russell’s grandprogram for language, Wittgenstein set up his own program for philosophy,one which has had an enormous influence on thinking rightdown to the present day. In essence, by demonstrating the many waysin which language functions and plays with the world, Wittgensteinestablished what could best be described as a form of therapy for philosophersto help them out of the various dilemmas they had createdfor themselves.1Bertrand Russell. History of Western Philosophy (London: Allen and Unwin,1961).2Bertrand Russell. A Critical Exposition of the Philosophy of Leibniz (New York:Cambridge University Press, 1951).