The Blue and Brown Books

"The Blue and Brown Books" are two collections of lecture notes by philosopher J.L. Austin, recorded during his teaching at Oxford in the 1950s. They serve as foundational texts for ordinary language philosophy, emphasizing that philosophical confusion often arises from imprecise language. Austin explores how everyday speech reflects meaningful use, and how analyzing language carefully can resolve philosophical problems. These books are influential in understanding how language shapes our understanding of reality, highlighting the importance of context, performative acts, and the nuances of ordinary speech in philosophical inquiry.