p. 19
“
The idea that in order to get clear about the meaning of a general term one had to find the common element in all its applications has shackled philosophical investigation; for it has not only led to no result, but also made the philosopher dismiss as irrelevant the concrete cases, which alone could have helped him understand the usage of the general term.
— Ludwig Wittgenstein
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The idea that in order to get clear about the meaning of a general term one had to find the common element in all its applications has shackled philosophical investigation; for it has not only led to no result, but also made the philosopher dismiss as irrelevant the concrete cases, which alone could have helped him understand the usage of the general term." in the context of "p. 19" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Ludwig Wittgenstein" (Quotes, 1930s-1951, The Blue Book (c. 1931–1935; published 1965))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein (26 April 1889 – 29 April 1951) was an Austrian-born philosopher who spent much of his life in England.
About Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein (26 April 1889 – 29 April 1951) was an Austrian-born philosopher who spent much of his life in England.
View all quotes →