Husserl and/or Wittgenstein

John M. Hems

pp. 55-86

in: Harold Durfee (ed), Analytic philosophy and phenomenology, Berlin, Springer, 1976

Abstract

The desire for unity is almost ineradicable in human nature, and a recent manifestation of this characteristic is to be found in the attempt to associate Wittgenstein with Husserl, or conscript Wittgenstein into the Husserlian camp or vice versa.¹ Not quite so hilarious as turning Kierkegaard into a linguistic philosopher, it nevertheless has its interest for those of us whose darling occupation it is to draw distinctions. It certainly cannot be gainsaid that there are points of resemblance between Husserl and Wittgenstein, but in my opinion these are of a superficial nature, whereas the differences between the two philosophers are quite radical. However, let us consider what they have in common.

Cited authors

Husserl Edmund

Wittgenstein Ludwig

Kierkegaard Søren