Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes

By: Paul Strathern

Narrated by: Robert Whitfield

"If we accept Wittgenstein's word for it," Paul Strathern writes, "he is the last philosopher. In his view, philosophy in the traditional sense was finished."

In Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Wittgenstein's life and ideas and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world.

©1996 Paul Strathern (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks

Best of what there is. Bring out David Markson

David Markson Wittgenstein's Mistress won awards, and is an important read for modern lit. It and Broom of the System showed what's up w/Wittgenstein

An tough job for a 90-minute book

If you are looking for some deep insight into Wittgenstein, this is not the place to find it. However, as with all of Strathern's books, the weaving of Wittgestein's life with his philosophy gives us a fascinating snapshot of the man. Take some of Strathern's categorical statements with a grain of salt: sometimes (in the name of conservation of space, perhaps) glib statements can turn a complicated piece of Wittgenstein's thought into a muddy generality. Because it is not possible to to get close to the significance of Wittgenstein's thought in 90 minutes, the best introduction to Wittgenstein might be to brave the chilling intellectual waters and dive into the Tractatus firsthand, perhaps with a copy of Hans-Johann Glock's Wittgenstein Dictionary (from Blackwell) close at hand to prevent mental hypothermia. A look at some introductions to his work by D.F Pears or Anthony Kenny will undoubtedly help. Despite these cautions, I recommend this book, which is well read by Robert Whitfield.

Excellent

A great chronicle of a troubled genius. The book was really good, and the narration excellent

Wittgenstein was a a pretentious controlling narcissist.

Good book. Short concise but continues to reinforce what I’d already known. Most philosophers are egotistical controlling assholes devoid of much understanding of the the full range and spectrum of human emotions.

In 90 Minutes Series overview

If you could sum up Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes in three words, what would they be?
aka Cliff Notes

Would you recommend Wittgenstein in 90 Minutes to your friends? Why or why not?
Yes - I've listened to each book in the series about a major philosopher that is available on Audible. Strathern's books don't have the analytical depth found in Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy" books, but he does a good job summarizing each philosopher's biography, major philosophical points, and criticisms. Additionally, Strathern's breadth is broader than Durant's in that he covers a greater number of philosophers. I believe that the time spent listening to these books has been well-spent.

My reviews for each book in the series about a philosopher are identical.

What about Robert Whitfield’s performance did you like?
Voice is clear, well-modulated, and easily understood, even at 1 1/2 speed.