Ebook: Reminiscences of the Vienna Circle and the Mathematical Colloquium
- Tags: History, Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Mathematical Logic and Foundations, Philosophy of Science
- Series: Vienna Circle Collection 20
- Year: 1994
- Publisher: Springer Netherlands
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- pdf
Karl Menger was born in Vienna on January 13, 1902, the only child of two gifted parents. His mother Hermione, nee Andermann (1870-1922), in addition to her musical abilities, wrote and published short stories and novelettes, while his father Carl (1840-1921) was the noted Austrian economist, one of the founders of marginal utility theory. A highly cultured man, and a liberal rationalist in the nine teenth century sense, the elder Menger had witnessed the defeat and humiliation of the old Austrian empire by Bismarck's Prussia, and the subsequent establishment under Prussian leadership of a militaristic, mystically nationalistic, state-capitalist German empire - in effect, the first modern "military-industrial complex. " These events helped frame in him a set of attitudes that he later transmitted to his son, and which included an appreciation of cultural attainments and tolerance and respect for cultural differences, com bined with a deep suspicion of rabid nationalism, particularly the German variety. Also a fascination with structure, whether artistic, scientific, philosophical, or theological, but a rejection of any aura of mysticism or mumbo-jumbo accompanying such structure. Thus the son remarked at least once that the archangels' chant that begins the Prolog im Himmel in Goethe's Faust was perhaps the most viii INTRODUCTION beautiful thing in the German language "but of course it doesn't mean anything.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi
The Historical Background....Pages 1-7
The Cultural Background....Pages 8-17
The Philosophical Atmosphere in Vienna....Pages 18-37
Why the Circle Invited me. The Theory of Curves and Dimension Theory....Pages 38-53
Vignettes of the Members of the Circle in 1927....Pages 54-73
Reminiscences of the Wittgenstein Family....Pages 74-82
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Austrian Dictionary....Pages 83-88
Wittgenstein’s Tractatus and the Early Circle....Pages 89-103
On the Communication of Metaphysical Ideas. Wittgenstein’s Ontology....Pages 104-128
Wittgenstein, Brouwer, and the Circle....Pages 129-139
Discussions in the Circle 1927–30....Pages 140-142
Poland and the Vienna Circle....Pages 143-157
The United States 1930–31....Pages 158-173
Discussions in The Circle 1931–34....Pages 174-177
The Circle on Ethics....Pages 178-193
Moritz Schlick’s Final Years....Pages 194-199
Memories of Kurt G?del....Pages 200-236
Back Matter....Pages 237-244
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi
The Historical Background....Pages 1-7
The Cultural Background....Pages 8-17
The Philosophical Atmosphere in Vienna....Pages 18-37
Why the Circle Invited me. The Theory of Curves and Dimension Theory....Pages 38-53
Vignettes of the Members of the Circle in 1927....Pages 54-73
Reminiscences of the Wittgenstein Family....Pages 74-82
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Austrian Dictionary....Pages 83-88
Wittgenstein’s Tractatus and the Early Circle....Pages 89-103
On the Communication of Metaphysical Ideas. Wittgenstein’s Ontology....Pages 104-128
Wittgenstein, Brouwer, and the Circle....Pages 129-139
Discussions in the Circle 1927–30....Pages 140-142
Poland and the Vienna Circle....Pages 143-157
The United States 1930–31....Pages 158-173
Discussions in The Circle 1931–34....Pages 174-177
The Circle on Ethics....Pages 178-193
Moritz Schlick’s Final Years....Pages 194-199
Memories of Kurt G?del....Pages 200-236
Back Matter....Pages 237-244
....