More mysteries

Dec 3, 2007

Butter and its rises in price seem to have exercised Wittgenstein a fair bit, though his opinion does not change much; despite this, it does not occur in the index to PI at all and now I cannot locate its first occurence (perhaps Markson is right about grad students).  The mysteries, though: §594 ends with (Ich kann des Andern Zeugnis nicht annehmen, weil es kein Zeugnis ist. Es sagt mir nur, was er zu sagen geneigt ist.), and §386 with (Ich kann sein Zeugnis nicht annehmen, weil es kein Zeugnis ist. Es sagt mir nur, was er zu sagen geneigt ist.).  These are englished, respectively, as (I cannot accept someone else's testimony, because it is not testimony. It only tells me what he is inclined to say.) and (I cannot accept his testimony because it is not testimony. It only tells me what he is inclined to say.).  (Odd how the most minor changes loom large to me.)  And even stranger, if you look under either testimony or Zeugnis in the index, only §386 is listed.