# 1.21 explained — Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

> Chapter companion for Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein.

## What happens

This proposition asserts the independence of atomic states of affairs: any one can either hold or not hold without affecting the others, reflecting the logical atomism of the Tractatus.

## Themes in this chapter

### Logical Atomism

The independence of atomic states of affairs is a core tenet of logical atomism, as each fact can stand alone without necessitating changes in others.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Wittgenstein

Author of the proposition, articulating the independence of atomic facts.

## Key lines

> Any one can either be the case or not be the case, and everything else remain the same.

Any single atomic fact can either exist or not exist, while all other facts remain unchanged.

_Clarifies the mutual independence of atomic states of affairs in Wittgenstein's ontology._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters/1-21
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters