“Following a Rule” Is a Practice

In Philosophical Investigations § 202 Wittgenstein writes: “‘following a rule’ is a practice.” How is this remark to be understood? What kinds of practice does Wittgenstein have in mind? The word “practice” is not used frequently in the PI, although there are numerous remarks that can be held to bear on the concept. Hardly any concrete examples are given, however, apart from the playing of games which is, in any case, not a typical form of practice. Zettel § 320 distinguishes between rules that are, in a sense, arbitrary (rules of grammar, chess) and rules that are not (cookery rules). I argue that this dichotomy is problematic. I will look at some concrete practices, such as greeting, and discuss the different senses in which they can be said to embody rules.