Answering Sraffa on Religion: Wittgenstein Walking the Tightrope

The subject of religion, one might think, although discussed in the Tractatus , is conspicuously absent from or in Wittgenstein’s later works, particularly in the Philosophical Investigations . Using Sraffa’s comments as a starting point, I tentatively deal with the absence of the subject by considering the question whether Wittgenstein’s religious views are compatible with his philosophies in the Tractatus and in the Philosophical Investigations . Answering this question involves examining Wittgenstein’s own central concern about his convictions in his later years, namely, to what extent one can honestly be a religious thinker nowadays. Presumably, his philosophy might not allow a “philosophy of religion”, if his own views on religion are not compatible with his philosophy. I tackle these issues beginning with Wittgenstein’s conversations with Ludwig Hänsel, then move to his later views and relevant passages in the Philosophical Investigations . With this in place, I uncover a religious moment that is not completely apparent in his later book, namely, an admission of errors that is a sort of confession.