Remarks on Colour

This book comprises material on colour which was written by Wittgenstein in the last eighteen months of his life. It is one of the few documents which shows him concentratedly at work on a single philosophical issue. The principal theme is the features of different colours, of different kinds of colour (metallic colour, the colours of flames, etc.) and of luminosity—a theme which Wittgenstein treats in such a way as to destroy the traditional idea that colour is a simple and logically uniform kind of thing.

Part I: Introduction Preface  Introduction to Wittgenstein's philosophy of color Key concepts: color names, color space, seeing aspects Part II: Philosophical Investigations on Color Section 1: Basic Color Concepts The nature of color terms and their application The relationship between color and object Can we imagine impossible colors? Section 2: Color Comparisons and Similarity How we judge whether two colors are the same or different The role of context in color perception Color illusions and their philosophical significance Section 3: Language and Color Experience The limits of language in describing color Private language arguments related to color The social construction of color categories Section 4: Seeing Aspects and Color Perception The idea of "seeing aspects" and its application to color The relationship between perception and judgment in color Part III: Conclusion Summary of key points regarding color and language Open questions and further considerations