Language Games and Psychotic Manifestations

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https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.119-125

Autor/ Author: Tomáš Priehradný

In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie

ISBN: 978-80-561-1241-0

Strany/ Page Range: 119-125

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Slovak

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: This paper aims to apply Wittgenstein's late philosophy to the philosophy of psychiatry. Specifically, it deals with manifestations of psychosis in the context of Wittgenstein's idea of language games. Wittgenstein understands language as a manifestation of a "form of life" that is bound by socially shared rules. Language is thus considered an activity performed within a broader community. However, psychotic manifestations characterize a form of life that does not conform to standard shared norms. The paper looks at two basic symptoms of psychosis, focusing on their linguistic character. These are "disorganized speech" and "delusions". Language games alone do not ensure the essential unity of language and thus communication. This is ensured at the level of a shared form of life. Psychosis, as a non-standard form of life, also changes the games we play with language. This gives rise to the potential impossibility of communication. Wittgenstein, in his rejection of private language, suggests that such pathological linguistic phenomena must be understood socially. Diagnosis and therapy cannot therefore take place at the level of language, but at the level of the form of life. The conclusion of the paper thus points to the need to work with the normativity of the community, which makes it possible to integrate people with mental illness into it.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: language games, Wittgenstein, philosophy of psychiatry, psychosis

Citácia/ How to cite:
PRIEHRADNÝ, Tomáš, 2026. Jazykové hry a psychotické prejavy. In: DOKOR 2025. Recenzovaný zborník z interdisciplinárnej doktorandskej konferencie. Online. Ružomberok: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku, 2026, s. 119-125. ISBN 978-80-561-1241-0. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112410.119-125

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Tento výstup vznikol v rámci projektu „Aplikácia Wittgensteinovho diela na filozofiu psychiatrie“ (interné číslo projektu KU: IG-2024-005-D) podporeného z výzvy Early Stage Granty (ESG) v rámci Plánu obnovy a odolnosti SR. Projekt je financovaný z mechanizmu na podporu obnovy a odolnosti prostredníctvom Výskumnej agentúry na základe Zmluvy č. 09I03-03-V05-00019.
This output was produced within the project "The Application of Wittgenstein's Work to the Philosophy of Psychiatry" (Catholic University in Ružomberok internal project No. IG-2024-005-D), supported under the Early Stage Grants (ESG) call within the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic. The project is financed through the Recovery and Resilience Facility via the Research Agency on the basis of Contract No. 09I03-03-V05-00019.