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University of Cambridge > Talks.cam > Departmental Seminars in History and Philosophy of Science > Rulers, clocks and common sense: metrology as a key to Wittgenstein's On Certainty
Rulers, clocks and common sense: metrology as a key to Wittgenstein's On CertaintyAdd to your list(s) Download to your calendar using vCal
If you have a question about this talk, please contact Lauren Kassell. Valedictory Lecture The paper suggests a new interpretation of Wittgenstein’s last notebooks that were published posthumously under the title On Certainty. I seek to show that the common-sense certainties at issue in these notebooks can best be understood on the model of metrological standards (like the prototype meter in Paris). Along the way, I defend Wittgenstein’s controversial claim that the prototype meter is not one meter long (against Kripke); illustrate the relevance of metrological analogies for many of Wittgenstein’s central concerns (in the philosophy of psychology and mathematics); highlight the influence of Einstein’s ideas on clock synchronisation; and explain the nature of Wittgenstein’s anti-sceptical argument. (The talk is non-technical and does not presuppose any prior knowledge of either Wittgenstein or metrology.) This talk is part of the Departmental Seminars in History and Philosophy of Science series. This talk is included in these lists:
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