Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
5.64 explained
Wittgenstein argues that solipsism, when fully developed, coincides with pure realism: the self shrinks to an extensionless point, leaving only the reality coordinated with it.
What happens
Wittgenstein argues that solipsism, when fully developed, coincides with pure realism: the self shrinks to an extensionless point, leaving only the reality coordinated with it.
Themes in this chapter
Solipsism and the Subject
The chapter directly addresses solipsism, showing that the 'I' reduces to a point and reality remains.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the Tractatus; presents the argument that solipsism and realism converge.
Key passages
“Here we see that solipsism strictly carried out coincides with pure realism.”
When solipsism is taken to its logical extreme, it becomes indistinguishable from pure realism.
Key insight: the self vanishes, leaving only reality.
“The I in solipsism shrinks to an extensionless point and there remains the reality coordinated with it.”
The self in solipsism reduces to a dimensionless point, and only the reality that corresponds to it remains.
Illustrates the collapse of the subject into the world.