Wittgenstein. By A.J. Ayer. First American Edition, First Printing. Random House. New York, 1985.

Ludwig Wittgenstein is one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century. His works contribute to schools of thought as broad as psychology, logic, linguistics, and mathematics. He taught at the University of Cambridge and developed a loyal following of pupils who recognized his genius despite his small body of work. In fact, he published only one book-length work in his lifetime: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, which today ranks among the most important philosophical treatises in history. So, too, does his later work, Philosophical Investigations, which was not published until two years after his death. In this major biography, Wittgenstein’s life is traced chronologically through his publications and evolution of thought. The author, A.J. Ayer, was also a philosopher whose work toward logical positivism made him an acclaimed figure in the mid-twentieth century. Like Wittgenstein, he was also interested in the philosophy of language, too, writing extensively on the verifiability criterion. In this slim but dense volume, Ayer unpacks Wittgenstein’s work through inquiry and narrative, making it the best biographies of Wittgenstein. This first American edition, first printing is in fine condition. In the original quarter cloth, fine. Text block fine. Former owner’s signature to title page. In the original dust jacket, very nearly fine with only minor bumping to back panel and light fading to spine. A fine first American edition of Wittgenstein by A.J. Ayer.