WITTGENSTEIN'S POKER The Story Of A Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers.: Amazon.ca: Books

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25 Reviews

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3.8 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars Oddball Achievement, May 17 2004

By

Douglas Doepke (Claremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Wittgensteins Poker (Paperback)

Academic intrigue inside a jounalistic context -- not the most compatible or promising of bedfellows. Still and all, the book remains oddly entertaining despite inbuilt limitations. From the text, a smattering can be learned about the following: Anglo-Austrian philosophy, two of its most unpleasant luminaries, late Habsburg Vienna, rivalries at Cambridge, and last but not least, more than you may ever want to know about an obscure event from 1946. It's this latter that forms the book's centerpiece, and it's a testament to the authors' chutzpah that they are able to magnify this seemingly innocuous confrontation into a climactic and meaningful clash of intellects. Expectations build as the narrative meanders toward what really happened in room H-3, King's College, Cambridge, as two massive egos of the ivory tower, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, at last collide. The actual upshot is a disappointment, and its meagreness can be taken as an ironical commentary on the elusive nature of Truth and Reality, an outcome not unbefitting a subject of this kind. Then too, the authors take liberties in filling out subjective detail, at the same time, neither the material nor the chapters cohere well despite the tenacity of purpose. Also, I agree with reviewer Walter Horn that Popper's reputation is inflated to approximate Wittgenstein's, without which much of the drama would dissipate. Nonetheless, the issue between the two remains a key one: Does traditional philosophy rest on anything other than linguistic confusion. Don't expect an answer or even a preference from the authors. All in all and despite the many drawbacks, the book stands as something of an oddball achievement, though it poses a genuine risk to those who care nothing about baldness and the dead king of France.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read, Jun 15 2003

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Casper Denck (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Ce commentaire est de: Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers (Paperback)

A meeting when two famous philosopher were drawn into a debate at Cambridge University's Moral Science Club in room H3 in which one of the Protaganists (Ludwig Wittgenstein) brandished a poker from the fireplace and waved it, in what may or may not have been, a threatening manner is the premise of this book. Edmonds and Eidinow try to contextualise this by means of a biography of both of these philosopers as well as a retelling of the then current change in analytic philosophy from a strictly epistemological to a linguistic emphasis. What philosophy there is in the book (and there is not much) is described well and succinctly. The overriding motif of the book is (to my reading) how unbelievably childish both these men were (particularly Wittgenstein).

Wittgenstein's Poker is not going to break new ground in philosophical understanding, it is the non-fiction equivalent of a Catherine Cookson or Celine Deon; it is, however, a charming and funny book. Hence if you are soon taking a long train journey or the like and consider Descarte's Philosophical Meditations too taxing then Wittgenstein's poker is the book for you. Any book that can quote the following from Bertrand Russell as part of a serious point is worthy of a purchase!:

"I used to go there [England's South Coast]
alone to watch the sunset and contemplate
suicide. I did not, however, commit suicide,
because I wished toknow more about Mathematics" (p175)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Charming, May 30 2002

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Bradley P. Rich (Salt Lake City, UT USA) - See all my reviews
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Ce commentaire est de: WITTGENSTEIN'S POKER The Story Of A Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers. (Hardcover)

You would not think that it was possible to write a book for the general reader about a ten minute argument between two little known mid-twentieth century philosophers and have it be a best seller. This book proves that belief to be very wrong.

The confrontation between Ludwig Wittgenstein and Carl Popper in October of 1946 is a minor footnote in the history of philosophy, but it provides a foil for the authors to explore the histories of these two men and the world in which they lived.

After setting the stage by describing the confrontation, the authors turn to an examination of the lives of the two philosophers, both from Vienna, both powerful intellects, both giant egos. The emphasis here is on historical context, not on philosophy, so the story is very accessible to the general reader. The account of their lives before World War II is fascinating. The description of the academic world in which they worked is vividly drawn.

The authors have given us a real sense of who these two men were and have introduced the reader to the supporting cast of characters as well. The authors have wisely avoid an analysis of the sexual lives of the two protagonists, though Wittgenstein's personal life is alluded to at a couple of points.

The philosophical issues are presented late in the book and are explained carefully and simply, so that the lay reader will see the intellecual stakes involved in the argument. While both men are presented as driven, they are sympathetically portrayed and within the context of the lives they lived, seem quite compelling.

This book captured for me the feeling of being there and gave me a real sense of time and place. The book is short but compelling. I recommend it highly for the reader interested in the lives of intellectuals mid Twentieth Century.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Philosophy Lite
As much as I was enjoying this book, about two thirds of the way through I decided it was real trash. Lisez davantage

Published on May 14 2002 by richterdj

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview of a Famous Meeting
To often in philosophy, we forget the personalities. This book may not break much new ground concerning the fateful encounter between Popper and Wittgenstein, but it is a... Lisez davantage

Published on April 11 2002 by Stanley Dau