This is the first full exploration of the implications of Wittgenstein's philosophy for understanding the arts and cultural criticism. These original essays by philosophers and critics address key philosophical topics in the study of the arts and culture, such as humanism, criticism, psychology, painting, film and ethics. All exemplify Wittgenstein's method of conceptual investigation and highlight his notion of philosophy as a cure.

Richard Allen is Associate Professor of Cinema Studies at New York University. Malcolm Turvey teachs film history at Sarah Lawrence College in New York State.

Chapter 1 Wittgenstein's Later Philosophy, Richard Allen, Malcolm Turvey; Part 1 Wittgenstein, the Humanities and Art; Chapter 2 Wittgenstein and the Autonomy of Humanistic Understanding, P.M.S. Hacker; Chapter 3 Wittgenstein on Language, Art and Humanity, Oswald Hanfling; Chapter 4 Wittgenstein, Performing Art and Action, Graham McFee; Chapter 5 Is Scepticism a 'Natural Possibility' of Language?, Malcolm Turvey; Chapter 6 The Urn and the Chamber Pot, John Hyman; Part 2 Theory and the Arts; Chapter 7 Language and Painting, Border Wars and Pipe Dreams, Ben R. Tilghman; Chapter 8 Cognitive Film Theory, Richard Allen; Chapter 9 The Coded-Message Model of Literature, Severin Schroeder; Chapter 10 Wittgenstein on Consciousness and Language, Charles Altieri; Chapter 11 Wittgenstein, Freud and the Nature of Psychoanalytic Explanation, Louis A. Sass;