The Development of Wittgenstein‘s Philosophy of Psychology

Peter Hacker 

Anthony Kenny has, over the last half a century, been one of the leading Wittgenstein 

scholars in the world, and one of the pioneers in applying Wittgenstein‘s ideas and methods 

to novel domains and problems. I was fortunate to have met Tony when I was a Junior 

Research Fellow at Balliol more than forty years ago. The depth of his thought, the breadth of 

his knowledge, the clarity and incisiveness of his writings have inspired me throughout my 

professional life. In his paper ‗Wittgenstein‘s Early Philosophy of Mind‘, Tony was the first 

to delve beneath the surface of the Tractatus to disclose the hidden philosophico- 

psychological presuppositions of the book.1 The following essay, a small token of gratitude 

for all that I have learnt from Tony, begins from the same point and tells the subsequent tale 

of the development of Wittgenstein‘s philosophy of psychology.