Q0126
“We feel that even if all possible scientific questions are answered, the…” — Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 6.52)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 6.52. Theme: life.
English
We feel that even if all possible scientific questions are answered, the problems of life have still not been touched at all.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 6.52 and files it under Analytic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951), born in Vienna to a wealthy industrial family, studied engineering then logic with Russell at Cambridge. The Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921) aimed to draw limits to sense; he then left academic philosophy for years as a teacher and architect’s assistant.
Interpretation
This is among the closing remarks of the Tractatus and states its central limit. Wittgenstein's claim is that scientific answers, however complete, would not touch the questions that matter most to a person — the sense of the world, what to do, how to live. His point is not that science fails but that its completeness would leave those questions exactly where they were. The remark prepares the famous conclusion that the book's own sentences must be discarded once understood.
Why it matters
It is a useful corrective to assuming that more information will settle a question. Some questions are not waiting on data.
Concepts in this quote
- Life
- Philosophy quotes about life ask what makes a life good, meaningful, or worth examining—questions that drive ethics, religion, and everyday decision.
- Meaning
- Meaning appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat meaning as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Ludwig Wittgenstein. (n.d.). We feel that even if all possible scientific questions are answered, the problems of life have still not been touched at all. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0126
MLA: Ludwig Wittgenstein. “We feel that even if all possible scientific….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0126.
Chicago: Ludwig Wittgenstein. “We feel that even if all possible scientific….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0126.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “We feel that even if all possible scientific…”?
The passage is attributed to Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 6.52. The archive attributes this English wording to Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus 6.52 and files it under Analytic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Ludwig Wittgenstein mean by life?
Life is both a biological fact and a practical project. Philosophers debate flourishing, suffering, mortality, and the standards by which a biography can be judged successful or wasted. This passage enters that discussion through life, meaning.