On Remarks on Colour

Abstract

The remarks on colours written by Wittgenstein in his last years of life contain a
detailed treatment of grammatical propositions, that is, propositions situated
between logic and the empirical, and, exactly for that, have always been authentic
philosophical challenge. (Cf. Wittgenstein, 1977) A few examples relating to colours:
"There is no transparent white"; "grey cannot be bright"; "there is no reddish
green". Wittgenstein investigates, therefore, the difficult logic of the concepts of
colour, and then situates them in language games, installed in forms of life. With
that, the classical theme of necessity finds a new formulation, and the current
definition of "truth of reason", for example, sees itself menaced as the one which is
true in all possible worlds.