George-Pitcher-Obituary

George W. Pitcher

New York, New York

1925 - 2018

About

LOCATION
New York, New York

Obituaries

Send Flowers

1925 - 2018George W. Pitcher, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University, died peacefully at his home in Princeton on January 12 at the age of ninety-two. He was the author of The Philosophy of Wittgenstein, Berkeley, and A Theory of Perception, as well as the memoir The Dogs...

Read More

Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

dearest george,
i have your wonderful gifts in my house and will keep them forever - but the best gift i have ever received - i received from you. you gave me a part of your life when you told me the story of THE DOGS WHO CAME TO STAY. i fell in love with you and ed and the beautiful Lupa and Remus and all of your family. i read to my patients at hospice and i read your book and i show them your picture and the picture of you and carla and they are delighted tknow...

dearest George,
just a short note the way I used to write to you. I miss you so much and am grateful for the letters and notes I have from you. I treasure then as I treasure you in my life. I had a reading group at Hospice recently and read THE DOGS WHO CAME TO STAY....they loved the book and you and Ed. Thank you for TDWCTS........it is beautiful......and a joy to read .
I love you George,
mychael.

dearest george, it is about time i wrote to you. i would have (usually) and somehow i know that you know i am always thinking about you. your photograph is on my piano and so i see you every day and i am grateful for that.
i guess that what i really want to tell you is that i remember you in ways that other people may not have knon. i remember your humour and your gentleness and your ability to laugh at yourself and the things that go on in life. it is a wonderful lesson - so...

dearest george,
i fell in love with you through the eyes of Lupa and Remus in your book THE DOGS WHO CAME TO STAY. since meeting you (albeit through e-mail and letters i have had such fun with you. every dog i have had knows who you are and you are up-to-date except for the puppy - a black labrador retriever. i love you for your sense of humour. i love you for your insight. i love you for your gentleness. i love you for your many kindnesses to me. i think of you...

I learned of George Pitcher by fortuitously coming upon his slim book The Philosophy of Wittgenstein in a used bookshop. Having always been baffled yet intrigued by Wittgenstein's obscurely intense writings, I bought Pitcher's book for $2, thinking it was just one more of the hundreds of average exegetical texts on Wittgenstein's philosophy. It's not.

After I got home that day and read a few pages of the book, the casual but forceful clarity of Pitcher's prose surprised me and made me...

Uncle George was my uncle. I am his brother's son. Uncle George was a wonderful person, warm, intellectually stimulating, a wonderful squash player (won every match we played) and generous to a fault. He and Ed hosted me for a trip to Florence Italy that was one of the most memorable vacations I have ever had. I wish you the very best Uncle George and I am sure you will find another Gang no matter where you are...enriching those fortunate enough to come to know you.