# 2.01231 explained — Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

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

## What happens

To know an object requires knowledge of all its internal qualities, not merely its external ones.

## Themes in this chapter

### Logical Atomism

The distinction between internal and external qualities relates to the logical structure of objects.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Wittgenstein

Author of the proposition.

## Key lines

> In order to know an object, I must know not its external but all its internal qualities.

To truly understand an object, one must grasp all of its essential, intrinsic properties, not just its accidental or relational ones.

_Highlights the necessity of internal qualities for knowledge of an object._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters/2-01231
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters