回归语言实践:维特根斯坦的“确定性”之思

Back to Linguistic Practice:Wittgenstein's Thought on“Certainty”

在不确定性日益上升的当今世界,维特根斯坦晚年代表作《论确定性》对深嵌于人类生活形式中的基础确定性的直接考察,重新唤起人们对“确定性”这一概念的关注。维特根斯坦有关确定性的理解其实具有连续性,维氏后期非但没有像部分后现代主义者所认为的那样否定确定性,反而转向思考语言游戏的“合宜”的确定性,晚年则聚焦探讨基础确定性问题。更重要的是,维特根斯坦的“确定性”之思蕴含着“语言实践”之维,确定性形成并显示于日常语言实践,作为行事指南在人类社会生活中发挥根基性作用。人类通过富含生物性、社会性和意向性的语言实践,构建起广阔的共享意义空间,从而认识世界并实现对他者的理解。因此,回归语言实践,将认知与理解活动置于语言的实际使用之中,借助对话与实践重新获取确定性,是为应对不确定性的重要一途。

In today s world,where uncertainty is increasingly prevalent,Wittgenstein s later work On Certainty directly examines the foundational certainty deeply embedded in human forms of life,reigniting interest in the concept of“certainty”.Wittgenstein s understanding of“certainty”is actually continuous,and rather than denying certainty as some postmodernists suggest,he begins to consider the“appropriate”certainty within language games and pay attention to the foundational certainty he focuses on in his later years.What s more important,Wittgenstein s thought on“certainty”is loaded with the dimension of“linguistic practice”,and formed and manifested in everyday linguistic practices,certainty serves as a fundamental guide for action within human s social life,and with language practices rich in biological,social and intentional aspects,human beings construct a vast shared space of meaning,thereby understanding the world and achieving comprehension of others.Therefore,returning to linguistic practice,situating cognitive and interpretive activities within actual language use,and reclaiming certainty through dialogue and practice,becomes a viable response to uncertainty.