5 ms·

This short article is by Ray Monk, who in 1990 published a biography of Wittgenstein, which I'd highly recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the guy's

This short article is by Ray Monk, who in 1990 published a biography of Wittgenstein, which I'd highly recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the guy's life and thought. Monk also wrote an excellent 2-volume biography of Bertrand Russell. This article seems to contain nothing not in his 1990 book. I found it a little depressing for him that the New Statesman is apparently paying him for an article that's a very condensed summary of part of what he wrote 30+ years ago..

leephillips 5y ago
On the other hand, you might consider that it means that what he wrote 30+ years ago hit the mark so well that it’s still worth paying for a summary of part of it. Less depressing that way.
- yesenadam 5y ago
  Well, I think they're both definitive biographies, yes. But I guess it's like big rock bands travelling the world, having to play their big hits forever after. Good for the fans, depressing for the musicians.
  - jhickok 5y ago
    Less depressing is that Ray Monk put together a Spotify playlist of Wittgenstein's favorite music, so he must still enjoy it a little bit. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4v540LW145G9MpAQSkmVWK https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4v540LW145G9MpAQSkmVWK
    - mi3law 5y ago
      Thank you for sharing this! You should post it to HN as its own post-- I work to classic music and this is a very interesting list that others would enjoy, too.
frereubu 5y ago
I'll second the recommendation of Monk's biography of Wittgenstein. There's a fantastic clarity to his exposition of Wittgenstein's philosophy that made it very readable. Going to track down the Russell biography now...
subsubzero 5y ago
I have read the Bertrand Russell biography(its a 2 part set) and absolutely loved the first part. Ray Monk the author describes various ideas in analytic philosophy extremely clearly and does an amazing job on what ideas were circulating during that time in regards to philosophy. I couldn't recommend it enough, in fact I enjoyed the author so much I also got his bio of Wittgenstein and hope to start it in the next few weeks.
0xFreebie 5y ago
I wish Ray Monk would write a biography of Alan Turing. He is an excellent biographer.

leephillips 5y ago

On the other hand, you might consider that it means that what he wrote 30+ years ago hit the mark so well that it’s still worth paying for a summary of part of it. Less depressing that way.

yesenadam 5y ago
Well, I think they're both definitive biographies, yes. But I guess it's like big rock bands travelling the world, having to play their big hits forever after. Good for the fans, depressing for the musicians.
- jhickok 5y ago
  Less depressing is that Ray Monk put together a Spotify playlist of Wittgenstein's favorite music, so he must still enjoy it a little bit. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4v540LW145G9MpAQSkmVWK https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4v540LW145G9MpAQSkmVWK
  - mi3law 5y ago
    Thank you for sharing this! You should post it to HN as its own post-- I work to classic music and this is a very interesting list that others would enjoy, too.

frereubu 5y ago

I'll second the recommendation of Monk's biography of Wittgenstein. There's a fantastic clarity to his exposition of Wittgenstein's philosophy that made it very readable. Going to track down the Russell biography now...

subsubzero 5y ago

I have read the Bertrand Russell biography(its a 2 part set) and absolutely loved the first part. Ray Monk the author describes various ideas in analytic philosophy extremely clearly and does an amazing job on what ideas were circulating during that time in regards to philosophy. I couldn't recommend it enough, in fact I enjoyed the author so much I also got his bio of Wittgenstein and hope to start it in the next few weeks.

0xFreebie 5y ago

I wish Ray Monk would write a biography of Alan Turing. He is an excellent biographer.