IST HIER EIN NASHORN IM RAUM?/ IS THERE A RHINOCEROS IN THE ROOM?

2021

A philosophical dispute between Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russel. Wittgenstein claims that there is no proof that there is no rhinoceros in the room. You just wouldn't see it at the moment.

" Ultimately, the dispute was about the question of provability: can we trust that our impressions are true? Can we prove the non-existence of a thing? In other words, only what is there can be proven." (Quote: Lothar Frenz IN: Rhinos, Naturkunden (ed.): Judith Schalansky at Matthes & Seitz Berlin)

FRANEK: That contradicts the imagination of the artistic process, in which everything is possible. Ideas, dreams and visions do not need proof . Even if they are not tangible, they can be present, both in space and in the imagination. Possibly the fascination they exude is the proof (February 2021).