Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
Truth-Operations on Elementary Propositions explained
Wittgenstein defines truth-functions of elementary propositions as the results of operations, which he calls truth-operations, that take elementary propositions as their bases.
What happens
Wittgenstein defines truth-functions of elementary propositions as the results of operations, which he calls truth-operations, that take elementary propositions as their bases.
Themes in this chapter
Logical Atomism
The discussion of elementary propositions as bases for truth-operations reflects the logical atomist view that complex propositions are built from simple, atomic elements.
Logic and Tautology
Truth-operations on elementary propositions are central to understanding how logical truths and tautologies are generated.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Introduces the concept of truth-operations as the operations that yield truth-functions from elementary propositions.
Key passages
“The truth-functions of elementary proposition, are results of operations which have the elementary propositions as bases. (I call these operations, truth-operations.)”
Truth-functions of elementary propositions are produced by applying operations—which I call truth-operations—to those elementary propositions.
Clarifies that truth-functions are not primitive but derived via specific operations on elementary propositions.