An Introduction to Wittgenstein: Games, Pictures, Rules, and Therapies



Overview

Themes and variations in Wittgenstein’s later philosophy

Wittgenstein is one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century, both in Europe and in the Anglo-American tradition. In the 1930’s he announced his break with the tradition of philosophy. His work revolutionised the evolution of Analytic philosophy and shaped a significant part of its future development.

This day school focuses on a few central themes of his major later work, the Philosophical Investigations, themes which include: the Augustinian picture of language, language-games, general concepts and family resemblances, rules and rule-following, and philosophical methodology. The day aims to develop an understanding of these themes, an awareness of Wittgenstein’s particular style and method of philosophising and a grasp of the distinctive role of his thought in the history of philosophy.

Programme details

10.30am: Registration

10.45am: What’s so special about Wittgenstein? (OR Why is Wittgenstein so important?)

11.45am: Coffee/tea

12.15pm: Language-games and language pictures

1.15pm: Lunch

2.30pm: Family resemblances and blurred concepts

3.30pm: Coffee/tea

3.45pm: Playing games and following rules

5.00pm: Course ends

Fees

Description Costs
Tuition - in-person attendance £80.00
Tuition - virtual attendance £80.00
Baguette £5.50

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

If you do not qualify for the concessionary fee but are experiencing financial hardship, you may still be eligible for financial assistance.

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Roxana Baiasu

Tutor

Apart from being a Philosophy tutor of the Department for Continuing Education, Roxana is also an Associate Member of the Philosophy Faculty, Oxford University, and Tutorial Fellow at Stanford University Centre in Oxford.  Prior to this she was a lecturer at the Universities of Vienna and Leeds, and a Leverhulme Fellow at Sussex University. She is writing in the areas of Post-Kantian metaphysics and epistemology, philosophy of religion and feminist philosophy. She edited (with G. Bird and A.W. Moore) Contemporary Kantian Metaphysics Today: New Essays on Time and Space (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), and published in, among others, The Southern Journal of Philosophy, IJPS, Research in Phenomenology and Sophia.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the price, but if you wish to stay with us the night before the course, then plesae contact our Residential Centre.

Accommodation in Rewley House - all bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished and each room has tea and coffee making facilities, Freeview television, and Free WiFi and private bath or shower rooms.  Please contact our Residential Centre on +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk for details of availability and discounted prices.

IT requirements

You can opt to attend this hybrid teaching event either online (via a livestream) or in person at Rewley House, Oxford. You will be given the option of how you wish to attend during the enrolment process. You can only pick one option. If your preferred attendance format is fully booked, you can email us to be put on the waiting list.

For those joining us online

The University of Oxford uses Microsoft Teams for our learning environment. If you’re attending online, you’ll be able to see and hear the speakers, and to submit questions via the Teams interface. Joining instructions will be sent out prior to the start date. We recommend that you join the session at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start time – just as you might arrive a bit early at our lecture theatre for an in-person event.

If you have not used the Microsoft Teams app before, once you click the joining link you will be invited to download it (this is free). Once you have downloaded the app, please test before the start of your course. If you are using a laptop or desktop computer, you will also be offered the option of connecting using a web browser. If you connect via a web browser, Chrome is recommended.

Please note that this course will not be recorded.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support