Vickenstein's Instinct Always to Philosophize Was to Get Away From People

Vickenstein wanted to be an original thinker, he says. He didn't believe that philosophers had any particular insight into ethical or political questions. As you say, it wasn't just about the nature of philosophy. It was about politics. It was about sciencewas about how we should live. And vickenstein thought those questions were not things that philosophy could address because they're somehow beyond meaningful statements.