Dear Old Blood: Notes on a Wittgenstein Noir

The find of a noir detective story Dear Old Blood by the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein sounds too good to be true. Academic Horace Murgatroyd thinks it's a hoax, dreamed up by Herbert Denk to save a failing career. But who will win this war of authenticity?

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Episodes

Ep. 10 The second and final part of Murgatroyd's Critical Commentary of 'Dear Old Blood'

In the final episode of Horace Murgratroyd's academic interrogation of a noir story purportedly written by Wittgenstein, and what freelance scholar Herbert Denk claims as 'the find of the century', Murgatroyd completes his critical demolition job of the so-called Rosro haul. Will he succeed in winning this war of authenticity, or does the mysterious Denk have one last trick up his sleeve? All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com Hosted on Acast...

Jan 16, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 10

Ep. 9 Herbert Denk's Afterword and Part 1 of Murgatroyd's Commentary

This episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading and commentaries on the purported Wittgenstein noir 'Dear OId Blood', begins with Herbert Denk's defensive Afterword from the second edition. The first part of Murgatroyd's own critical commentary then follows. All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com Figure 1. Wittgenstein's grave. Footnote: See Richard J Evans's Why are we obsessed with the Nazis? in The Guardian , 6th February 2015 Hosted on Acast....

Jan 09, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Ep. 8 I Knocked On The Door

In this episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading and commentaries on the purported Wittgenstein noir 'Dear OId Blood', Nix confronts Godwit at his Norwegian hut over the duck-rabbit as the mysterious assassins close in. What truths will emerge in the final explosive episode of Wittgenstein's apparent noir? End notes include: Different noir slang for guns How Wittgenstein applies Gestalt theory to his life the Nazi theme Nix's final decision Herbert Denk's rebuke to Horace Murgatroyd and hopes for ...

Jan 02, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Ep. 7 I Left A Note At The Dead drop

In this episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading and commentaries on the purported Wittgenstein noir 'Dear OId Blood', Nix follows Godwit to his Norwegian hut. As he gets closer to this mountainous retreat, the private investigator discovers he's not the only one pursuing the philosopher. End notes include: Wittgenstein's hut in Skjolden, Norway (see photo below) The phrase 'it comes to you perhaps as a friend and not as an enemy' All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: ...

Dec 26, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Ep. 6 The Trail Went Cold, Days Slid Into Weeks

In this episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading and commentaries on the purported Wittgenstein noir 'Dear OId Blood', Godwit has two new interests - a young man and westerns, forcing Nix to watch both of them. A final twist will lead the private investigator much further afield. There are no end notes for this episode. NB. The previous episode (Episode 5) was given this title in error - this is the correct episode/title match for Episode 6, and episode 5 now has the correct title of 'The Next Day...

Dec 19, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Ep. 5 The Next Day I Woke Up Early

In this episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading and commentaries on the so-called Wittgenstein 'noir', the private investigator Nix attends a Godwit lecture, gets closer to the mysterious duck-rabbit and does his first 'dead drop'. End notes include: Pennhurst David Pinsent's death All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 12, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Ep. 4 A Bloody Curious Bird Is My Problem

In this episode of Horace Murgatroyd's reading of the so-called Wittgenstein 'noir', the private investigator Nix meets his nemesis, Lan, now in the guise of a torch singer. The mystery deepens with the appearance of a 'bloody curious bird'. End notes include: Wittgenstein's musical tastes Gestalt theory King Lear Karl Popper Norbert Davis' Rendezvous with Fear Gerard Manley Hopkins Anti-philosophy All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com Hoste...

Dec 05, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Ep. 3 The Place Was Swarming With Young Punks

Horace Murgatroyd continues his reading of rogue academic Herbert Denk's 'find of the century' - the purported hardboiled noir written by Ludwig Wittgenstein. In it, our investigator Nix follows the 'wise guy' philosopher Godwit into a meeting of the Cambridge Apostles. End notes include: Cambridge Apostles Schubert lieder the Philosopher Kings Street & Smith Detective Story Magazine (Fig. 1, of the July 1948 issue, mentioned in the recording below) All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the...

Nov 28, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Ep. 2 I Landed On A Beautiful Summer’s Day In June.

Horace Murgatroyd continues his reading of the purported hardboiled noir written by Ludwig Wittgenstein, which rogue academic Herbert Denk claims to have found. In it, our investigator Nix lands in Cambridge and begins to tail the 'wise guy' philosopher, Godwit. End notes include: Piero Sraffa David Pinsent The philosophy of detection All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author for rights, etc: neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 21, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Ep. 1 The World Is Everything, That Is The Case

This opening episode includes the book's introduction, epigraph and preface, as well as the first chapter of the purported Wittgenstein hardboiled noir detective story, 'Dear Old Blood', which the academic Herbert Denk claims to have discovered. It finishes with a series of end notes including: the title 'Dear Old Blood' the detective's name, Nix the reference to the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus the similarities between philosophy and detection All copyright: Neil Fitzgerald Contact the author...

Nov 16, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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