Inspiration from the German logician, Cambridge professor, social commentator (
Timeline1
1889 26 April - Ludwig Wittgenstein born and baptised in Vienna
1900: Freud (1856-1939) publishes Interpretation of Dreams, groundbreaking work in
psychology
1900: Max Planck on the quantum theory of energy
1903: Wright Brothers test the first airplane (12 second flight, 120 feet)
1903: Otto Weininger (1880-1903) publishes Sex and Character, then commits
suicide soon after it is given bad reviews
1902-03: Wittgenstein’s brother, Hans, after having run away from home to pursue a
career in music is missing, presumed to have committed suicide
1903: Period during which Wittgenstein has recurring thoughts of his own suicide
(finally calming in 1912)
1904: Wittgenstein’s brother, Rudolf, commits suicide
1905: Einstein (1879-1955) published five scientific papers, one of which was
‘Special theory of Relativity’ (time and space as relative to position of the observer)
1906 to Berlin to study engineering
1908 to Manchester to conduct aeronautical research, where he begins reading work
of Gottlob Frege (1848-1925) (note: prior to this he had read much by Arthur
Schopenhauer, 1899-1860)
1910 first trip to Ireland (Coleraine)
1911 to Cambridge to meet Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)
1912 (January) to Cambridge to study with Russell. Russell recognizes
Wittgenstein’s genius, which helps ease Wittgenstein’s recurring idea about
committing suicide
1914 volunteers for service in Austrian Army
1918 completes Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (published 1921-2); decides to
become a schoolmaster in an elementary school in Austria 1926 gives up school
1
Some details taken from a timeline devised by Jonathan Rée:
http://www.open2.net/historyandthearts/philosophy_ethics/wittgensteinbiography.html
teaching
1918 Wittgenstein’s brother, Kurt, commits suicide (after troops under his comman
refuse to obey orders).
1929 returns to Cambridge; accepts fellowship at Trinity College
1934 summer holiday in Ireland (Rosroe)
1936 extended stay in Dublin
1938 further extended stay in Dublin
1939 appointed Professor at Cambridge
1947 gives up Cambridge Professorship, decides to move to Ireland and attempt to
bring his Philosophical Investigations to completion
1949 leaves Ireland; prostate cancer diagnosed
1951 29 April - dies
1953 publication of Philosophical Investigations
1953 James Watson and Francis Crick's classic paper that first describes the double
helical structure of DNA, suggesting ‘a possible copying mechanism for the genetic
material’ (Nature, 171, 737-738)