# 4.31 explained — Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

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

## What happens

Wittgenstein introduces schematic representations of truth-possibilities for elementary propositions, using 'T' for true and 'F' for false, and illustrates with examples for one, two, and three propositions.

## Themes in this chapter

### Logical Atomism

The schemata illustrate how complex propositions are built from elementary propositions and their truth-possibilities.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Wittgenstein

Author of the Tractatus, presenting truth-possibility schemata.

## Key lines

> The truth-possibilities can be presented by schemata of the following kind (“T” means “true,” “F” “false.” The rows of T’s and F’s under the row of the elementary propositions mean their truth-possibilities in an easily intelligible symbolism).

Truth-possibilities can be displayed using tables where 'T' and 'F' indicate true and false, and each row under the elementary propositions represents a possible combination of truth values.

_Wittgenstein describes a method for systematically representing all possible truth assignments to elementary propositions._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters/4-31
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tractatus_logico_philosophicus_se/chapters