编译 | 维特根斯坦为安斯康姆申请研究基金撰写的推荐信（1945年）

维特根斯坦为安斯康姆申请研究基金撰写的推荐信（1945年）

编译导言：

本文为维特根斯坦在1945年为当时26岁的学生安斯康姆（Gertrude Elizabeth Margaret Anscombe，也即文中的吉奇女士）申请研究基金撰写的推荐信。安斯康姆后来同样成为了颇有建树的哲学家，并著有《意向》（Intention）等作品。

在推荐信中，维特根斯坦对安斯康姆的评价极高，认为她是自己任教以来“最有才华的女学生”。但与此同时，他也指出，安斯康姆当时还没有充分消化“新的哲学影响”，因而为申请基金而提交的文章有欠成熟。

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推荐信原件

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推荐信文字誊清稿

Dear Miss Curtis,

Mrs. G.E.M. Geach has attended my classes on philosophy for 4 terms. As the number of my students is small and as I have discussions with them both in and outside my classes, I have been able to form a definite impression of Mrs. Geach’s philosophical abilities.

She is, undoubtedly, the most talented female student I have had since 1930, when I began to lecture; and among my male students only 8, or 10 have either equalled or surpassed her. She has an excellent grasp of philosophical problems, great seriousness, and uncommon ability for hard work. I should like to recommend her most warmly for a Research Fellowship.

I believe that the subject which she proposes to work on is very well suited to her particular turn of mind.

The two essays she has sent in, though they definitely show a good soil for growing philosophical thoughts, are still very immature. This, however, ought not, in my opinion, to weigh against her. It is the unavoidable consequence of her having been, on coming to Cambridge, subjected to new philosophical influences which she has not had the time to digest. This process will need much hard work and can’t be hurried.

There is very good reason to expect that she will produce sound and interesting work in philosophy. I, therefore, repeat that I recommend her most warmly.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed) L. Wittgenstein

▲ 安斯康姆（晚年）

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推荐信中译

亲爱的柯蒂斯女士：

吉奇女士（Mrs. G.E.M. Geach）参加了我四个学期的哲学课程。由于我的学生人数不多，而且我在课堂内外都与他们做了讨论，我已经能够对吉奇女士的哲学能力形成明确的印象。

毫无疑问，她是我自1930年开始讲课以来最有才华的女学生；而在我的男学生中，只有8个或10个能与她相提并论或超过她。她对哲学问题有很好的把握，非常认真，而且非比寻常地勤奋。我想最热情地推荐她获得研究基金。

我相信，她提议研究的课题非常适合她独特的思维。

她提交的两篇文章，虽然肯定能体现出她有发展哲学思想的潜质，但仍然非常不成熟。然而，在我看来，这不应该成为对她不利的因素。她来到剑桥后，受到了新的哲学影响，而她还没有时间去消化，因此这种不成熟无可避免。这一过程颇需要下一番苦功夫才能完成，不能急于求成。

我们有充分的理由期待她能在哲学领域做出扎实而有趣的工作。因此，我重申，我最热情地推荐她。

（签名）维特根斯坦