Wittgenstein and Scientism

Wittgenstein criticised prevailing attitudes toward the sciences. The target of his criticisms was �scientism�: what he described as �the overestimation of science�. This collection is the first study of Wittgenstein�s anti-scientism - a theme in his work that is clearly central to his thought yet strikingly neglected by the existing literature. The book explores the philosophical basis of Wittgenstein�s anti-scientism; how this anti-scientism helps us understand Wittgenstein�s philosophical aims; and how this underlies his later conception of philosophy and the kind of philosophy he attacked. An outstanding team of international contributors articulate and critically assess Wittgenstein�s views on scientism and anti-scientism, making Wittgenstein and Scientism essential reading for students and scholars of Wittgenstein�s work, on topics as varied as the philosophy of mind and psychology, philosophical practice, the nature of religious belief, and the place of science in modern culture. Contributors: Jonathan Beale, William Child, Annalisa Coliva, David E. Cooper, Ian James Kidd, James C. Klagge, Dani� Moyal-Sharrock, Rupert Read, Genia Sch�nbaumsfeld, Severin Schroeder, Benedict Smith, and Chon Tejedor.