The Routledge Philosophy GuideBooks painlessly introduce students to the classic works of philosophy. Each GuideBook considers a major philosopher and a key area of their philosophy by focusing on an important text - situating the philosopher and the work in an historical context, considering the text in question and assessing the philosopher's contribution to contemporary thought. Wittgenstein is the most influential twentieth century philosopher in the English-speaking world. In the Philosophical Investigations , his most important work, he introduces the famous "private language argument" which changed the whole philosophical view of language. Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations introduces and assesses: Wittgenstein's life, and its connection with his thought the text of the Philosophical Investigations the importance of Wittgenstein's work to contemporary philosophy.