Georg Henrik von Wright

Georg Henrik von Wright (14 June 1916 – 16 June 2003) was a Finnish philosopher. He is particularly known for his work in philosophical logic, especially deontic logic, his work on Ludwig Wittgenstein's later philosophy, and his work on moral pessimism, especially regarding the Myth of Progress. He was born in Helsinki, Finland, to a family of Finnish and Scottish descent. Von Wright studied at the University of Helsinki and later at the University of Cambridge, where he was influenced by figures like C. D. Broad, R. B. Braithwaite, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. He returned to Helsinki to complete his PhD thesis, 'The Logical Problem of Induction'. His career included significant academic positions at the University of Helsinki and the University of Cambridge. He succeeded Wittgenstein as professor at Cambridge and was entrusted with Wittgenstein's literary estate. Von Wright's seminal work includes 'A Treatise on Induction and Probability', and he was a pioneer in deontic logic and temporal logic. He also authored works on the philosophy of action, language, and epistemology. In his later years, influenced by thinkers like Oswald Spengler and Jürgen Habermas, he developed a more moralist and pessimistic outlook, questioning the nature of progress in his influential essay 'The Myth of Progress'. Von Wright was also active in academic leadership, serving in various capacities at national and international philosophical societies. He died in Helsinki in 2003.