Mauthner Versus Wittgenstein: Language as Metaphor

Abstract

Mauthner esteemedlanguage as a philosophical inquiry. He measuredthe philosophical entailments between language and reality and the consequentknowledgeproducedby such entailments. Hequestioned language’s aptitudeto express and represent realityand, according to him, language is a critical source of knowledge and anunfaithful representation of reality, because there is a gap between language and reality, i.e. language distorts perception and engenders false and fictitious assumptions about reality. Language fosters superstition, creates gods and idols and exerts a dominating power over the intellect. Mauthner pointed out a critique of languagebased on metaphors, which would serve to address and clarify the deformation of reality. Wittgenstein, unlike himself suggested, was inspired by Mauthner. Both showedinterest toward the critical analysis of languageand there are many conceptual similaritiesbetween their language’s conceptions (e.g. concerningthe use of metaphors to understandlanguage). Therefore, this paper seeks a) to emphasize Mauthner’s metaphors onlanguage as an accurate interpretation regardingthe philosophical entailments between language and reality,and b) to demonstrate the epistemological legacyof Mauthner’s critique of languageto Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language.