Doubtful Certainties

Autorentext

Jesús Padilla Gálvez is a Spanish philosopher. His principal expertise is in philosophy of language. He is known for his exegesis of the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Studied Philosophy, History and Mathematics at the University of Cologne (Germany) and was awarded the M.A. in 1983 and a Dr. phil. in Philosophy in 1988. He was Research Assistant at the University of Murcia (Spain) and later held the post of Associate Professor for Logic and Philosophy of Language at the University of León (Spain). From 1994 to 1999 he was Visiting Professor at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz (Austria). Since 1999 he has been Professor at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo (Spain). He is the author of Referenz und Theorie der möglichen Welten, 1989; Wittgenstein y el Círculo de Viena / Wittgenstein und der Wiener Kreis, 1998; Tratado Metateórico de las teorías científicas, 2000; Wittgenstein, from a New Point of View, 2003; Idealismus und Sprachanalytische Philosophie, 2007; El laberinto del lenguaje, 2007; Verdad y demostración, 2007; Phenomenology as Grammar, 2008; Wittgenstein I, 2009 and numerous articles. Dr. Mag. Margit Gaffal holds an M.A. (Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, Austria), and a LL.D. (University of Castilla-La Mancha Toledo, Spain). Her research focuses on language and culture and social transformations. She has published in the field of law and is co-editor of several books.

Klappentext

To what extent can we doubt certainties? How are certainties expressed in words? Which language games convey certainty? To answer these questions we have to recall the method Wittgenstein used in his investigations. When we look at language games and forms of life as inseparable phenomena, do forms of life then provide any certainty? On the other hand, do we automatically relapse into relativism once we doubt certainties? Which formal structures underlie certainty and doubt? The book is intended to answer these questions.