Political Applications of Wittgenstein’s Conception of Philosophy: the Philosophical Conversation as a Model for Democracy

Ludwig Wittgenstein did not himself develop an explicit political and social philosophy, except for some scattered remarks not intended for publication. However, since his death, there have been many attempts to show the relevance of his philosophy for political and social issues. This paper will focus on two recent applications of Wittgenstein's conception of philosophy to political issues, one by Rupert Read and one by Sandra Laugier. The authors end up with conclusions that, in my mind, enhance each other: Read is reinterpreting the philosophical discussion, based on the writings of Wittgenstein, which also functions as a model for democracy. Laugier on the other hand redefines the concepts of democracy, by building upon Wittgenstein’s ordinary language philosophy and Stanley Cavell’s works. Both authors end up with a similar conclusion. This work will bring them together while simultaneously presenting how Wittgenstein’s conception of philosophy is inherently political, at least when understood in the same terms as Read and Laugier.