This book investigates whether the later philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein provides a viable foundation for a critical social theory, specifically challenging the approaches of Anthony Giddens, Jürgen Habermas, and Roy Bhaskar. Nigel Pleasants, a scholar in social and political philosophy, examines the intersection of linguistic philosophy and social science methodology. He argues that the attempts by prominent social theorists to incorporate Wittgensteinian concepts often result in misinterpretations that undermine the very critical potential they seek to establish. The text provides a rigorous analysis of how social theory can avoid the pitfalls of scientism and foundationalism by adhering more closely to Wittgenstein's anti-theoretical stance.

Scholars in the field of social theory recognize this work as a significant contribution to the debate over the applicability of Wittgenstein's philosophy to the social sciences. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in both contemporary social theory and analytic philosophy to fully grasp the author's arguments.