Philosophy ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 8-2021

Abstract

In this paper I have examined the notion of ‘forms of life’ against the concept of ‘comprehension’. Particular attention was given to Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. I first defend my view that comprehension is made possible by forms of life; or, that forms of life condition our comprehension. A comprehension-event is one which will always occur in a language-game, and is structured by grammar. After I defend my position, I apply this view to three canonical philosophical issues: conceptual universals or how we see one when there are many, the mind-body gap or the difficulty of unifying our ideas about the world with the world itself, and possible world semantics. My view is that if we understand forms of life in the manner which I elucidate, then we have a conceptual groundwork to stand on in order to address these three canonical problems

Degree Name

Philosophy

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Philosophy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Paul Livingston

Second Committee Member

Brent Kalar

Third Committee Member

Kelly Becker

Document Type

Thesis

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