Josef G. F. Rothhaupt: "Wittgenstein’s Biography and Philosophy Implemented in the Contemporary Arts"
“People nowadays think that scientists exist to instruct them, poets, musicians, <etc.> to give them pleasure. That these have something to teach them; does not occur to them.” (Wittgenstein: MS162b,60v; 1st quarter 1939) Ludwig Wittgenstein – his life as well as his work – had and still has an important and far reaching influence on the contemporary arts – painting, sculpture, video, film, literature, music, etc. The paper gives an overview on the implementation of Wittgenstein’s biography and philosophy in the contemporary arts. It treats the question what “poets, musicians, <etc.>” can teach – can say and can show. It discusses the question if it is possible to get a better understanding of the arts through the study of Wittgenstein’s oeuvre and if it is possible to get a better understanding of Wittgenstein’s oeuvre and a more adequate interpretation of his philosophy through the arts.