The life and work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, the Austrian-British philosopher regarded by many as the greatest philosopher of the 20th century, is to be celebrated with a series of events hosted by Swansea University in partnership with the Austrian Cultural Forum London and the Wittgenstein Initiative in June 2022.

Ludwig Wittgenstein’s association with Swansea University came about through his relationship with Rush Rhees, his former student, confidant, and literary executor, who worked at the Department of Philosophy between 1940-1966. Wittgenstein was a regular visitor to Swansea between 1942-1947 and it was during this period that his perpetual dialogue with Rhees led to the development of many of his strands of thought which would appear in his posthumously published work Philosophical Investigations. One of the most notable photographs of Wittgenstein is of him in a train shelter on Swansea Promenade, taken by his partner Ben Richards in September 1947.

9-23 June 2022 - Exhibition: The Tractatus Odyssey and Wittgenstein's Swansea Years

An exhibition entitled The Tractatus Odyssey and Wittgenstein’s Swansea Years will be on display at the library on Swansea University’s Singleton Park campus between 9-23 June. The free exhibition, presented by Swansea University in conjunction with Vienna’s Wittgenstein Initiative and the Austrian Cultural Forum London, covers the early years of Wittgenstein and the build-up to the publication of his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. The exhibition will also offer audiences a look at Wittgenstein's time at Swansea and the legacy that he left through Rush Rhees and the Swansea School of Philosophy.

16 June 2022 - Conference: Ludwig Wittgenstein: An Austrian in Swansea

On Thursday 16 June, some of the world's leading authorities on Wittgenstein and intellectual thought, including Professor Ray Monk, Dr Alfred Schmidt, and James Kelman will feature in a conference entitled Ludwig Wittgenstein: An Austrian in Swansea. Held at The Mall in Swansea’s Taliesin Arts Centre, the day-long conference will explore how important Wittgenstein’s years in Swansea were to the development of his later philosophy.

Speakers include:

Professor Ray Monk

James Kelman

Dr Alfred Schmidt

Radmila Schweizer

Francoise Stonborough

Dr Mario Von Der Ruhr

Dr Huw Williams

Jonathan Smith

Professor Daniel Williams

Jeff Towns

Jamie Bill

Further info here.

For further details, please contact Dr Alan Sandry: a.sandry@swansea.ac.uk

The conference will be live streamed here: https://vimeo.com/event/2113004

16 June 2022, 6 pm - Public Lecture: Ludwig Wittgenstein in Swansea

At 6pm on 16 June, Professor Ray Monk, author of the acclaimed biography Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius, will deliver a free public lecture titled Wittgenstein in Swansea in the Wallace Lecture Theatre on the Singleton campus at Swansea University. The lecture will offer a great introduction to those who may be unfamiliar with Wittgenstein or his connection with Swansea.

Please registre here.

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