FROM WITTGENSTEIN'S POSSESSION

MOORE, G.E.

The Nature and Reality of Objects of Perception. Reprinted from the "Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society," 1906.

London, 1906. 8vo. Original printed wrappers. Spine-strip repiared and with a bit of minor loss. A bit of bumping to extremities and a closed tear with no loss to back wrapper. No soiling or markings. 60 pp.

The very rare first edition of the separate re-print - from the library of Wittgenstein (not stated anywhere in the copy, but the copy comes from the descendents of Hänsel, who verify the provenance) - of this essential paper, which also played a great rôle for Wittgenstein.

Off-prints of the present work are of great scarcity, and the present copy has been in the possession of Ludwig Wittgenstein, who was probably given the copy by Moore himself. Wittgenstein handed over some of his belongings, including a number of his books, to his life-long friend Ludwig Hänsel. Among these belongings was the present copy of Moore's influential work.

Wittgenstein did not have many close friends, but the closest- together with Rudolph Koder- was Luwig Hänsel, who was a high-school teacher of German and literature. Hänsel and Wittgenstein, who befriended each other in 1918 while being war prisoners in Monte Casino, also remained close friends throughout their lives.

George Edward Moore (1873-1958) is one of the most influential of twentieth century philosophers, and his contributions to analytic philosophy can be compared to only those of Russell, Wittgenstein and Frege, with whom he founded this philosophical discipline. His impact on Anglo-American philosophy in the 20th century must be said to be nearly unsurpassed.
The present work constitutes one of his most important contributions to philosophy, touching of several of the points that form the fundamental questions of e.g. Wittgenstein's "Tractatus"; for instance: what lies behind that which we see in the world? What can we say about it? And how? Or for Wittgenstein's ideas of e.g. private language: One of the main questions put forth here by Moore is: "How do we know that there are any other people, who have perceptions in some respects similar to our own?" (p. 2).

"There are two beliefs in which almost all philosophers, and almost all ordinary people are agreed. Almost everyone believes that he himself and what he directly perceives do not constitute the whole of reality: he believes that "something" other than himself and what he directly perceives "exists" or is "real". (p. 1).

There is no doubt that the essential questions put forth in the present paper have been of interest to Wittgenstein, and there is no doubt that Wittgenstein has read the present paper. In a letter to Russell from 1913 Wittgenstein writes: "... By the way - would you be so good and send me two copies of Moore's paper: "The Nature and Reality of Objects of Perception" which he read to the Aristotelian Soc. in 1906. I am afraid I can't yet tell you the reason why I want two copies but you shall know it some day. If you kindly send me the bill with them I will send the money immediately after receiving the Pamplets..." (L. Wittgenstein, Cambridge Letters, Blackwell Publishers, 1995).

Order-nr.: 41460