John Wisdom facts for kids
Arthur John Terence Dibben Wisdom (born September 12, 1904, in Leyton, Essex – died December 9, 1993, in Cambridge) was a very important British philosopher. He was often called John Wisdom. He was known for his work in ordinary language philosophy, the philosophy of mind, and metaphysics.
John Wisdom was influenced by other famous thinkers like G.E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Sigmund Freud. He helped explain and expand on their ideas.
He went to school at Aldeburgh Lodge School and then Fitzwilliam House, Cambridge. He earned a top degree in Moral Sciences in 1924. It's important not to mix him up with his cousin, John Oulton Wisdom, who was also a philosopher and interested in similar topics.
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Understanding Philosophy
Before Ludwig Wittgenstein's book Philosophical Investigations was published in 1953, John Wisdom's writings were one of the few ways people could learn about Wittgenstein's later philosophical ideas.
His article "Philosophical Perplexity" was a big deal in philosophy. It was seen as the first work that fully showed a "new way of thinking" in the field.
According to David Pole, John Wisdom took Wittgenstein's ideas even further. He explored their meanings and results more clearly than Wittgenstein himself did.
Wisdom's Teaching Career
For most of his career, John Wisdom taught at Trinity College, Cambridge. He became a Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University. Later in his career, he also taught as a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oregon in the United States.
Near the time he retired, a special book called Wisdom: Twelve Essays was published in his honor in 1974. This book was put together by Renford Bambrough.
He was also the president of the Aristotelian Society from 1950 to 1951.
The Invisible Gardener Parable
One of John Wisdom's most famous ideas is the "Parable of the Invisible Gardener." This story is a way to discuss whether God exists or not. It explores different viewpoints on this big question.
Starting "Analytic Philosophy"
John Wisdom was one of the first people to use the term "analytic philosophers." He used it in his 1931 work, "Interpretation and Analysis in Relation to Bentham's Theory of Definition."
In this work, he talked about Bentham's idea of "paraphrasis." This is a way of explaining something complex by changing how you describe it. For example, if you have an idea that isn't a real thing, you can explain it by linking it to something real.
At first, Wisdom called them "logic-analytic philosophers," but then he shortened it to "analytic philosophers." This idea of "paraphrasis" helped shape what we now call analytic philosophy.
John Wisdom was cremated, and his ashes were buried at the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge.
Famous Quote
If I were asked to answer, in one sentence, the question 'What was Wittgenstein's biggest contribution to philosophy', I should answer 'His asking of the question "Can one play chess without the Queen?"'.
Major Writings
- Interpretation and Analysis in Relation to Bentham's Theory of Definition (1931)
- Problems of Mind and Matter (1934)
- Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Volume 37, Issue 1, 1 June 1937, Pages 71–88
- Other Minds (1952, 1965)
- Philosophy and Psycho-analysis (1953)
- Paradox and Discovery (1965)
- Proof and Explanation, the Virginia Lectures, 1957 (1991)
