Philosophical Investigations

Philosophical Investigations
Cover of the first English edition
AuthorLudwig Wittgenstein
Original titlePhilosophische Untersuchungen
TranslatorG. E. M. Anscombe
LanguageGerman
SubjectOrdinary language philosophy
Publication date
1953
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
OCLC954131267

Philosophical Investigations (German: Philosophische Untersuchungen) is a work by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, first published as book posthumously in 1953. The text consists of what Wittgenstein calls, in the preface, Bemerkungen, translated by Anscombe as "remarks".[1]


The book appeared as composed of two parts, but actually Part II has been appended by the editors. In subsequent editions various modifications have been made with material and arguments provided by scholars.[2] In 2001 a genetic-critical edition was released,[3] containing five versions of the original Part I and omitting the second part. The revised English translation from 2009 included a section Philosophy of Psychology – A fragment [previously known as “ ‘Part II’]”.


A survey among American university and college teachers ranked the Investigations as the most important book of 20th-century philosophy.[4]

  1. ^ Wittgenstein (1953), Preface. (All citations will be from Wittgenstein (1953), unless otherwise noted.)
  2. ^ Erbacher, Christian. "Editorial Approaches to W ittgenstein's Nachlass: Towards a Historical Appreciation." Philosophical Investigations 38.3 (2015): 165-198.
  3. ^ Philosophische Untersuchungen. Kritisch-genetische Edition, ed. Joachim Schulte in cooperation with Heikki Nyman, Eike von Savigny and G. H. von Wright, Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp (
  4. ^ Lackey, Douglas P. (1999). "What Are the Modern Classics? The Baruch Poll of Great Philosophy in the Twentieth Century". The Philosophical Forum. 30 (4): 329–346. doi:10.1111/0031-806X.00022. ISSN 1467-9191.

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