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Wittgensteinian

British  
/ -ˌstaɪnɪən, ˈvɪtɡənˌʃtaɪnɪən /

adjective

  1. (of a philosophical position or argument) derived from or related to the work of Wittgenstein and esp the later work in which he attacks essentialism and stresses the open texture and variety of use of ordinary language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Other cybernetic dogs bring to mind a wholly different Wittgensteinian observation, one that points to the deep reserves of anger often concealed by inchoate attempts at communication.

From Slate • Jun. 7, 2017

In context, however, that Wittgensteinian aphorism is surrounded by thornier reflections on the difficulty of understanding our fellow humans.

From Slate • Apr. 14, 2016

The reaction was swift and vociferous, and exactly nobody found my work delightfully Wittgensteinian, although one guy did email the chair of my school’s English department demanding that I be fired.

From Slate • Feb. 18, 2016

It's almost as if the stalker-sadist Vaughan looks at humans as walking talking examples of that Wittgensteinian proposal: "Don't ask for the meaning; ask for the use."

From The Guardian • Jul. 4, 2014

Actually, proponents of the strong programme treat the empiricist language-game as if it were one of a number of equally false language-games, for the only valid game, in their eyes, is the Wittgensteinian meta-game.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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