Wittgenstein's Origin Story
By Leo Gura - June 10, 2025
A wildly enthusiastic 19 year old Austrian engineering student arrived to the Cambridge office of world-renowned mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell, announcing his intention to make philosophy his life’s work. Russell was annoyed. Of him Russell wrote, “My German engineer, very argumentative and tiresome. I think, he’s a fool. He thinks nothing empirical is knowable. I asked him to admit that there is not a rhinoceros in the room, but he would not.”
The young Wittgenstein took to haunting Russell in his office at midnight, pacing back and forth in silent contemplation like a wild beast for 3 hours each night. Finally Russell asked him, “Are you thinking about logic or your sins”. “Both”, Wittgenstein relied. “Do you think I am absolute idiot?”, Wittgenstein asked. “Why do you want know?”, Russell asked. “Because if I am then I shall become an aeronautical engineer. But if I am not, I shall become a philosopher.” Russell replied, “My dear fellow. I don’t know if you are an absolute idiot or not, but if you write me an essay on any philosophical topic of your interest, I will read it and tell you.” As soon as Russell read the first sentence of the essay he knew the answer. “He was perhaps the greatest example of genius as traditionally conceived.”
And yet, for all his work, Wittgenstein never did figure out God. Neither did Russell. The flies never found their way out of the bottle.
So much for genius, traditionally conceived.
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Wittgenstein was born to one of the wealthiest industrialists in Austria, raised in a marble palace and schooled by private tutors. After he became a professional philosopher, Wittgenstein gave away his vast fortune on the theory that wealth was incompatible with the life of a philosopher, so he could “croak with self-respect.” To make by, he became an elementary school teacher in a tiny Austrian village, where he tried to introduce university-level mathematics to elementary school children. He was forced to abandon teaching altogether when his furious impatience with his students’ lack of comprehension ended with him delivering a blow to the head of an 11 year old child, knocking him unconscious.
And you guys think I’m harsh with you?
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Source: A Journey To The Edge Of Reason, Stephen Budiansky
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