THE DEATH OF THE UNIVERSITY. THE DEATH OF EDUCATION. THE DEATH OF THE MIND.

Lars Iyer, Wittgenstein Jr: A Novel (Brooklyn & London: Melville House, 2014) ("It was the new dons who made Oxford unbearable for his brother, Wittgenstein says. The new-style philosophers! English philosophy has become business philosophy, grant-chasing philosophy, his brother told him. The Oxford philosophy department dreams only of being Big Philosophy, his brother said. Of founding Philosophy Parks, of donning philosophical lab coats . . . There are Oxford chairs in the desecration of philosophy, his brother told him. In the murder of philosophy. In the destruction of philosophy. In the strangulation of philosophy. His brother overheard a don use the phrase learning competencies, Wittgenstein says. His brother was asked to demonstrate the real-world applicability of his fundamental work in logic. His brother was expected too make a case for the impact of his thought on the world at large. His brother said nothing, Wittgenstein says. He kept mute. But he knew he had to leave the high table, and to leave oxford. He knew he had no choice but to leave England." Id. at 63-64. So true? So sad! So frightening!).