Late Wittgenstein’s money

This essay examines the contemporary discourse on inflation through the lens of Wittgenstein’s late work on language games. Using his concept of hinge propositions – beliefs upon which language games depend – I offer a novel perspective on the public good that is price stability. In particular, I fi...

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Main Author: L. Eden Steininger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:Finance and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205959992400027X/type/journal_article
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author L. Eden Steininger
author_facet L. Eden Steininger
author_sort L. Eden Steininger
collection DOAJ
description This essay examines the contemporary discourse on inflation through the lens of Wittgenstein’s late work on language games. Using his concept of hinge propositions – beliefs upon which language games depend – I offer a novel perspective on the public good that is price stability. In particular, I first consider the inflation hypothesis as a derivative of the commodity theory of money and therefore inherently linked to a purely quantitative regime of monetary management. I then argue that, based on the hinge proposition that money is a creature of law, money’s value might instead be grasped and engaged on the basis of its political and qualitative dimensions.
format Article
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spelling doaj-art-62b51ea88e204248a2a8cd579017e15d2025-08-20T02:47:28ZengCambridge University PressFinance and Society2059-59991810.1017/fas.2024.27Late Wittgenstein’s moneyL. Eden Steininger0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9357-1176Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, Vienna, Austria Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, AustriaThis essay examines the contemporary discourse on inflation through the lens of Wittgenstein’s late work on language games. Using his concept of hinge propositions – beliefs upon which language games depend – I offer a novel perspective on the public good that is price stability. In particular, I first consider the inflation hypothesis as a derivative of the commodity theory of money and therefore inherently linked to a purely quantitative regime of monetary management. I then argue that, based on the hinge proposition that money is a creature of law, money’s value might instead be grasped and engaged on the basis of its political and qualitative dimensions.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205959992400027X/type/journal_articlemonetarismWittgensteinphilosophy of languageprice stabilitytheory of money
spellingShingle L. Eden Steininger
Late Wittgenstein’s money
Finance and Society
monetarism
Wittgenstein
philosophy of language
price stability
theory of money
title Late Wittgenstein’s money
title_full Late Wittgenstein’s money
title_fullStr Late Wittgenstein’s money
title_full_unstemmed Late Wittgenstein’s money
title_short Late Wittgenstein’s money
title_sort late wittgenstein s money
topic monetarism
Wittgenstein
philosophy of language
price stability
theory of money
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S205959992400027X/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT ledensteininger latewittgensteinsmoney