You don't have to be stupid to be incapable of independent thinking — academia is awash with such people.
Those who are incapable of thinking independently are incapable of recognizing anything that is both novel and important. First they must be told, by someone whom they already deem to be of some importance, that such-and-such is important, and that they should pay attention. That is what Russell did for Wittgenstein.
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3 comments:
But was Russell justified in his "deeming of some importance" in regards to Wittgenstein?
Yes, I think he saw something there, something that was deserving of attention.
Do you mean to imply that Wittgenstein was 'incapable of thinking independently are incapable of recognizing anything that is both novel and important'?
Don't forget how much self-starting it took on Wittgenstein's part to even get to the point of meeting Russell. Think also of the fact that, during Wittgenstein's first period as a PhD student at Cambridge, he decided to exchange formal study for solitude in Norway so he could get something done.
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