Welcome
The limits of my language mean the limits of my world. Language is not merely a tool for communication, but the very framework through which we understand reality. To take care of language is to take care of thought itself.
L. Wittgenstein
— Vagueness
| Name | : | Vagueness |
| Location | : | Cambridge, MA, USA |
| : | contact@takecareoflanguage.org | |
| Research | : | Philosophy of Language |
| Focus | : | Wittgenstein Studies |
| Academia | : | academia.edu/alexmorgan |
| ORCID | : | 0000-0002-xxxx-xxxx |
Research
My research explores the intersection of ordinary language philosophy and contemporary linguistic theory. I investigate how our everyday use of language shapes philosophical understanding and how careful attention to linguistic practice can dissolve traditional philosophical problems.
Interests
My philosophical interests span multiple areas within language philosophy, focusing on how linguistic analysis can illuminate fundamental questions about meaning, understanding, and the nature of philosophical inquiry itself.
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WITTGENSTEIN STUDIES
Deep engagement with both early and later Wittgenstein, exploring the evolution of his thought from the Tractatus to Philosophical Investigations.
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ORDINARY LANGUAGE
Following Austin and Ryle, examining how careful attention to everyday language use can resolve philosophical confusions.
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LANGUAGE GAMES
Investigating Wittgenstein's concept of language games and their implications for understanding meaning as use in context.
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SEMANTIC THEORY
Exploring contemporary theories of meaning, reference, and truth, bridging analytic philosophy and linguistic semantics.
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PRAGMATICS
Studying how context, speaker intention, and social practices shape linguistic meaning beyond literal semantics.
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PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
Examining the relationship between language and thought, particularly through the lens of Wittgenstein's private language argument.
Academic Path
My academic journey has been shaped by a commitment to understanding language not as an abstract system, but as a living practice embedded in human forms of life.
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2015 - 2018
Research Fellow
Oxford Centre for Philosophy
Conducted research on Wittgenstein's later philosophy, focusing on the concept of rule-following and its implications for understanding linguistic normativity. Published several papers on the relationship between grammar and metaphysics in Wittgenstein's thought.
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2018 - 2021
Visiting Scholar
Cambridge University
Collaborated with the Wittgenstein Archive, working on digital editions of unpublished manuscripts. Taught seminars on ordinary language philosophy and supervised graduate students researching linguistic philosophy and analytic metaphysics.
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2021 - 2023
Associate Professor
Boston University
Developed and taught courses on philosophy of language, Wittgenstein, and the ordinary language tradition. Organized international conferences on contemporary approaches to linguistic philosophy and the legacy of the Vienna Circle.
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2023 - Present
Independent Researcher
Freelance Scholar
Currently working on a monograph exploring the therapeutic dimension of Wittgenstein's philosophy and its relevance to contemporary debates in philosophy of language. Consulting for various academic institutions and contributing to philosophical journals.
Expertise
My scholarly expertise spans multiple areas of philosophy and linguistics, with particular strength in the analytic tradition and its engagement with language.
Education
My formal education provided the foundation for a lifelong engagement with questions about language, meaning, and the nature of philosophical inquiry.
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2005 - 2009
B.A. Philosophy
Yale University
Undergraduate studies focused on analytic philosophy and logic. Senior thesis on Frege's theory of sense and reference. Graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors in Philosophy.
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2009 - 2011
M.Phil. Philosophy
Cambridge University
Master's research on Wittgenstein's transition from the Tractatus to Philosophical Investigations. Studied under leading Wittgenstein scholars and participated in the Cambridge Moral Sciences Club.
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2011 - 2015
Ph.D. Philosophy
Oxford University
Doctoral dissertation: "Language Games and Forms of Life: A Reconsideration of Wittgenstein's Later Philosophy." Examined the relationship between linguistic practice and social context in Wittgenstein's mature work.
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2016 - 2017
Post-Doctoral Research
MIT Linguistics
Post-doctoral fellowship bridging philosophy and linguistics. Collaborated with cognitive scientists and linguists to explore the empirical dimensions of philosophical theories of language and meaning.
" Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent. Yet in that silence lies not emptiness, but the recognition of language's limits—and in recognizing those limits, we find the true task of philosophy: not to explain, but to understand. "
Ludwig Wittgenstein - Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
" Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language. The real discovery is the one that makes me capable of stopping doing philosophy when I want to. "
Ludwig Wittgenstein - Philosophical Investigations
" The meaning of a word is its use in the language. For a large class of cases of the employment of the word 'meaning'—though not for all—this word can be explained in this way: the meaning of a word is its use in language. "
Ludwig Wittgenstein - Philosophical Investigations §43
Writings
Recent essays and reflections on language, philosophy, and the enduring questions that shape our understanding of meaning.
12/15/2025
The Therapeutic Turn in Philosophy
Wittgenstein's later philosophy offers not theories to be defended, but methods for dissolving philosophical confusion. This essay explores how his therapeutic approach challenges traditional conceptions of philosophical inquiry and opens new paths for understanding language.
11/28/2025
Language Games Revisited
What does it mean to say that language is a game? This piece examines Wittgenstein's concept of language games, exploring how different linguistic practices constitute distinct forms of life and how meaning emerges from use within these practices.
11/10/2025
Private Language and Shared Understanding
The private language argument remains one of Wittgenstein's most debated contributions. This essay reconsiders the argument's implications for theories of meaning, consciousness, and the social nature of linguistic practice.
10/22/2025
Ordinary Language and Philosophical Method
Following Austin and Ryle, the ordinary language tradition insists that philosophical problems often arise from misunderstanding how words actually function. This piece explores what we can learn from careful attention to everyday speech.
10/05/2025
From Picture Theory to Use Theory
Wittgenstein's philosophical journey from the Tractatus to the Investigations represents one of the most dramatic shifts in 20th century philosophy. This essay traces that evolution and its implications for understanding meaning.
09/18/2025
Taking Care of Language
To take care of language is to attend carefully to how words work in practice, to resist the temptation to impose theoretical frameworks, and to recognize that clarity comes not from explanation but from description.
Contact
I welcome correspondence from fellow scholars, students, and anyone interested in language philosophy. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or collaboration proposals.