4 ms·

That sandwich anecdote reminded me to post a link to this essay about Tractatus as a demonstration of the "autistic cognitive model par excellence." http://aut

by mbrock 8y ago

That sandwich anecdote reminded me to post a link to this essay about Tractatus as a demonstration of the "autistic cognitive model par excellence." http://autisticsymphony.com/wittgenstein.html http://autisticsymphony.com/wittgenstein.html "Ludwig Wittgenstein was almost certainly autistic. Several notable psychiatrists, such as Christopher Gillberg in A Guide to Asperger Syndrome, have written extensively about the evidence backing this assertion."

yesenadam 8y ago
Thanks!, that was very interesting. I don't remember reading anywhere that LW had Asperger's (which is what that writer means by 'autistic' I guess), but it seems to fit perfectly. I've just tried to get to know him without labelling. I was close friends with people like Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, but never felt friends with LW hehe. I didn't get far into the Tractatus, probably just a few lines. But I've enjoyed everything else he wrote, always thought-provoking. A fascinating character, with a great sense of humour--he had a friend with whom he used to exchange picture postcards with very silly irrelevant things written on them. Wish I could remember what book I saw those in. Monk, maybe. Also, he was born extremely rich, but believed money corrupts people, so gave it all away to his siblings. When asked why them, since they were already rich, he said 'They're already corrupted'... (Hmm It just struck me, maybe that explains some of Thoreau too? He didn't seemed incapable of friendship in the normal sense, said No to everything, preferred solitude, seemed utterly unlike other people, his 'duties to himself' overruled all others etc.)
- YellowSuB 8y ago
  Someone actually published a case report on it in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. You can read it here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12521251_Did_Ludwig_Wittgenstein_have_Asperger's_syndrome https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12521251_Did_Ludwig...

by mbrock 8y ago

yesenadam 8y ago

Thanks!, that was very interesting. I don't remember reading anywhere that LW had Asperger's (which is what that writer means by 'autistic' I guess), but it seems to fit perfectly. I've just tried to get to know him without labelling. I was close friends with people like Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, but never felt friends with LW hehe. I didn't get far into the Tractatus, probably just a few lines. But I've enjoyed everything else he wrote, always thought-provoking. A fascinating character, with a great sense of humour--he had a friend with whom he used to exchange picture postcards with very silly irrelevant things written on them. Wish I could remember what book I saw those in. Monk, maybe. Also, he was born extremely rich, but believed money corrupts people, so gave it all away to his siblings. When asked why them, since they were already rich, he said 'They're already corrupted'... (Hmm It just struck me, maybe that explains some of Thoreau too? He didn't seemed incapable of friendship in the normal sense, said No to everything, preferred solitude, seemed utterly unlike other people, his 'duties to himself' overruled all others etc.)

YellowSuB 8y ago
Someone actually published a case report on it in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. You can read it here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12521251_Did_Ludwig_Wittgenstein_have_Asperger's_syndrome https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12521251_Did_Ludwig...