Wittgenstein and the practice of rule-following

Abstract

Our aim in this research is to propose a new interpretation of Wittgenstein's remarks on the concepts of rule and rule-following. The interpretation is based on two fundamental axes that differentiate it both from the traditional commentaries on Wittgenstein's texts and from the philosophical debates around these concepts: 1) We intend to show that the problem involved in Wittgenstein's discussion is analogous to the Kantian problem of the relation between rule and application, more specifically, the supposed regress involved in the application of rules; 2) We intend to show that the solution of the problem involves the consideration of the temporal dimension of language. This interpretation will be developed in dialogue with Denis Perrin, who presented an original interpretation of the so-called middle period, as well as Wittgenstein's late philosophy, based precisely on the temporal dimension of language.