Disagreement and Picture in Wittgenstein’s ‘Lectures on Religious Belief ’

Abstract

This paper suggests that the central theme of the ‘Lectures on Religious Belief’ is the possibility of a certain form of faultless disagreement. The disagreement is between two sides: (1) advocates of different religious views (such as that there will be a Last Judgement), and (2) Wittgenstein himself. I shall explain Wittgenstein’s various attempts to clarify the nature of this disagreement; and why he holds the disagreement to be faultless. I will give special attention to the role of pictures in Wittgenstein’s reflections.