The right method of philosophy would be this. To say nothing except what can be said, i.e. the propositions of natural science, i.e. something that has nothing to do with philosophy: and then always, when someone else wished to say something metaphysical, to demonstrate to him that he had given no meaning to certain signs in his propositions. This method would be unsatisfying to the other - he would not have the feeling that we were teaching him philosophy - but it would be the only strictly correct method. My propositions are elucidatory in this way: he who understands me finally recognizes them as senseless, when he has climbed out through them, on them, over them. (He must so to speak throw away the ladder, after he has climbed up on it.) He must surmount these propositions; then he sees the world rightly. Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent. Ludwig Wittgenstein
About This Quote

In this quote, Nietzsche is referring to the lack of communication in philosophy. In philosophy, people speak of things that have nothing to do with what they are trying to talk about. For example, some people may say that their philosophy is about the meaning of life and there is a lot of truth to that. However, they only talk about the meaning of life, but do not give a logical explanation as to how it can be applied or changed into a scientific or useful form.

They also fail to show the necessary steps towards that meaning of life through their philosophical thoughts. This quote demonstrates how communication within philosophy is lacking and therefore the ideas themselves are not always communicated properly.

Source: Tractatus Logicophilosophicus

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More Quotes By Ludwig Wittgenstein
  1. I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.
  2. A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes.
  3. Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.
  4. The real question of life after death isn't whether or not it exists, but even if it does what problem this really solves.
  5. I am my world.
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