Abstract
The relation of Logical Empiricism and North-American Pragmatism has been increasingly investigated in the last decade. This seems reasonable enough given the various personal and scholarly exchanges between the Vienna Circle and Berlin Group with pragmatist philosophers after World War I leading up to the transfer and transformation of Logical Empiricism caused by the rise of National Socialism. But there was a significant prehistory of this philosophical encounter: the relation of Ernst Mach and US-pragmatism. This mostly ignored philosophical interaction can be exemplified with Mach’s Popular Scientific Lectures. One result of this case study is that pragmatic philosophy was already present in Austria and Germany in parallel to the interaction with Paul Carus, Charles S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, even if not under this specific notion and label. Mach, together with Wilhelm Jerusalem, had already claimed pragmatic positions in epistemology and methodology before his reading of Peirce and encounter with James.
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Notes
- 1.
On Logical Empiricism and Pragmatism: Gary Hardcastle and Alan W. Richardson (Eds.), Logical Empiricism in North America. Minneapolis-London: University of Minnesota Press 2003; Alan Richardson and Thomas Uebel (Eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism. Cambridge University Press 2007; George Reisch , How the Cold War Transformed Philosophy of Science: To the Icy Slopes of Logic. Cambridge University Press 2005; Friedrich Stadler (Hrsg.), Vertreibung, Transformation und Rückkehr der Wissenschaftstheorie. Am Beispiel von Rudolf Carnap und Wolfgang Stegmüller. Münster: LIT Verlag 2010.
- 2.
Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung. Der Wiener Kreis. Hrsg. Vom Verein Ernst Mach (Wien1929). Reprint with Translations in English, French, Spanish, and Italian. Ed by Friedrich Stadler and Thomas E. Uebel . Wien-New York: Springer 2012, p. 9.
- 3.
Philipp Frank , Modern Science and its Philosophy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press 1949, p. 48.
- 4.
Felix Kaufmann ’s Theory and Method in the Social Sciences. Ed.by Robert S. Cohen and Ingeborg Helling. Dordrecht: Springer 2014.
- 5.
Richard von Mises , Positivism. A Study in Human Understanding. Cambridge: Harvard University Press 1951 (1968), p. 360 f.
- 6.
Gerald Holton , „From Vienna Circle to Harvard Square: The Americanization of a European World Conception“, in: Friedrich Stadler (Ed.), Scientific Philosophy: Origins and Developments. Dordrecht-Boston-London: Kluwer 1993, pp.47–74; „On the Vienna Circle in Exile. An Eyewitness Report“, in: Werner de Pauli-Schimanovich et al. (Eds.), The Foundational Debate. Complexity and Constructivity in Mathematics and Physics. Dordrecht-Boston-London: Kluwer 1995, pp. 269–292.
- 7.
Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 5/1996: Schwerpunkt: Vom Logischen Empirismus zum Neopragmatismus?, S. 776–853.
- 8.
Ernst Mach Centenary Conference in Vienna 2016, June 15–18, 2016: http://mach16.univie.ac.at
One section was dedicated to the relation of Mach and Pragmatism, with papers by Erik Banks, Pietro Gori, Maria Valente, Thomas Uebel and others. Related earlier publications: Gary Hatfield, „Sense data and the Philosophy of Mind: Russell , James and Mach“, in: Principia 6, 2002, pp. 203–230; Erik C. Banks, Realistic Empiricism. Rediscovering the Empiricism of Mach, James, and Russell . Neutral Monism Reconsidered. Cambridge University Press 2014; John D. Norton, „A Material Dissolution of the Problem of Induction“, in: Synthese, 191/2014, pp. 671–690. (with a reference to Mach‘s Popular Scientific Lectures, arguing for an non-hierarchical empiricism, with inductive inferences based on facts).
- 9.
Robert E. Butts , “Pragmatism in Theories of Induction in the Victorian Era: Herschel, Whewell, Mach and Mill”, in: Pragmatik. Handbuch des pragmatischen Denkens. Hrsg. von Herbert Stachowiak. Band II. Hamburg: Meiner 1987, p. 48.
- 10.
Ernst Mach, Populär-Wissenschaftliche Vorlesungen. Neudruck der 5. vermehrten und durchgesehenen Auflage von 1923. Mit einer Einleitung hrsg. Von Elisabeth Nemeth und Friedrich Stadler . Berlin: xenomoi 2014. (= Ernst-Mach-Studienausgabe, Band 4). For further references: PWV
- 11.
In addition to Analyse der Empfindungen, Erkenntnis und Irrtum, Die Mechanik in ihrer Entwicklung, Die Prinzipien der Wärmelehre, Die Prinzipien der physikalischen Optik. Meanwhile five volumes have appeared in the ongoing study edition of Ernst Mach’s works with xenomoi Verlag (Berlin).
- 12.
On Mach’s life and work: John T. Blackmore, Ernst Mach. His Life, Work, and Influence. Berkeley-Los Angeles-New York 1972; Friedrich Stadler , Vom Positivismus zur „Wissenschaftlichen Weltauffassung“. Wien-München: Löcker 1982; Gereon Wolters, Mach I, Mach II, Einstein und die Relativitätstheorie. Eine Fälschung und ihre Folgen. Berlin-New York: De Gruyter 1987. Rudolf Haller und Friedrich Stadler (Hrsg.), Ernst Mach – Werk und Wirkung. Wien: Hölder-Pichler-Tempsky 1988.
- 13.
German version: „Über den Einfluss zufälliger Umstände auf die Entwicklung von Erfindungen und Entdeckungen“.
- 14.
On the High School teacher, translator, and editor: Elisabeth Carus, „Thomas J. McCormack “, in: The Open Court. November 1932 (Vol. 46, No. 918), pp. 729–732.
- 15.
Joachim Thiele, Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation. Die Korrespondenz Ernst Machs. Kastellaun: Henn Verlag 1978, pp. 177–185.
- 16.
Mach corresponded with both between 1888 and 1915 (about 130 letters). In 1888 Hegeler founded the journal The Monist in La Salle, Illinois, which was subsequently under the editorial direction of Paul Carus (1890–1919), Mary Hegeler Carus (1919–1936). The still existing journal after a long break since 1962, ed. By Eugene Freeman, John Hospers and currently Barry Smith.
- 17.
English translations of books by Mach: The Science of Mechanics, 1893. (6 editions); Popular Scientific Lectures, 1895. (4 editions); The Analysis of Sensations, 1897. (4 editions); History and Root of the Principle of the Conservation of Energy, 1911; Space and Geometry in the Light of Physiological, Psychological and Physical Inquiry, 1906; The Principles of Physical Optics, 1926. (2 editions); Theory of Heat,1902. (3 editions)
English translations of articles by Mach: Philosophical Magazine 1865–66: 2; The Open Court. A Weekly Journal devoted to the Religion of Science (Chicago): 21; The Monist. A Quaterly Magazine Devoted to the Philosophy of Science (Chicago): 11; Source: Mach, Knowledge and Error (Dordrecht: Reidel 1976) p. 370 ff.
- 18.
Numerous articles by Mach have been translated into English and published. In The Open Court) 21 articles appeared; in The Monist. A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Philosophy of Science (Chicago) we find 11 articles. The first English publications of Mach were already in 1865–1866 in the Philosophical Magazine (London). In this context, the following book is relevant: Floyd Ratcliff, Mach Bands: Quantitative Studies on Neural Networks in the Retina (San Francisco 1965), which includes six texts by Mach on the subject.
- 19.
Paul Carus , “Professor Mach’s Philosophy”, in: The Monist, 16/3, 1906, pp. 331–356; Ernst Mach, in: The Monist 1890, quoted after Gerald Holton , Science and Anti-Science. Harvard Univ. Press 1993, p. 5.
- 20.
The Project Gutenberg EBook. Produced by Anna Hall, Albert Lászlo and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
- 21.
The first reprint described Mach as follows: “The Austrian scientist Ernst Mach (1838–1916) carried out work of importance in many fields of enquiry, including physics, physiology, psychology and philosophy. Many significant thinkers, such as Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell , benefited from engaging with his ideas. Mach delivered the twelve lectures collected here between 1864 and 1894. This English translation by Thomas J. McCormack (1865–1932) appeared in 1895. Mach tackles a range of topics in an engaging style, demonstrating his abilities as both a researcher and a communicator. In the realm of the physical sciences, he discusses electrostatics, the conservation of energy, and the speed of light. He also addresses physiological matters, seeking to explain aspects of the hearing system and why humans have two eyes. In the final four lectures, he deals with the nature of scientific study. The Science of Mechanics (1893), Mach’s historical and philosophical account, is also reissued in this series.”
- 22.
With an appendix, title sheet and dedication of the first two lectures published in Graz in 1865 and Albert Einstein ’s obituary on Mach (in: Physikalische Zeitschrift 7/1916).
- 23.
The English translation of the striking expressions “Romantik” and “Poesie” was “charm” and “poetry”. See on this issue also Rudolf Haller , „Poetische Phantasie und Sparsamkeit – Ernst Mach als Wissenschaftstheoretiker“, in: Haller /Stadler , Ernst Mach, op.cit., pp. 342–355.
- 24.
Reprint: Frankfurt/M.: Westhafen Verlag 2015.
- 25.
Hans Altenhuber, Universitäre Volksbildung in Österreich 1895–1937. Vienna 1995. Mach was an adamant supporter of university lectures for the general public. He was a member of the committee that organized these lectures and later as a parliamentarian he backed increased subsidies for this institution.
- 26.
Mach, PWV, p. XVI.
- 27.
For pertinent information on the historical background and on pragmatism I would like to thank my colleagues Christoph Limbeck-Lilienau (Institute Vienna Circle) and Bastian Stoppelkamp (Institut für Philosophie).
- 28.
Thiele, Wissenschaftliche Korrespondenz, S. 168 ff. In a letter to his wife James described his visit with Mach in Prague: „As for Prague, veni, vidi, vici. I went there with much trepidation to do my social-scientific duty … I heard Hering give a poor lecture, and Mach a beautiful one … Mach came to my hotel and I spent four hours walking and supping with him at this club, an unforgettable conversation. I don’t think anyone ever gave me so strong and impression of pure intellectual genius. He apparently has read everything and thought about everything, and has an absolute simplicity of manner and winningness of smile.” The Letters of William James , ed. by his son Henry James. Boston 1920. Cited after Hiebert, “Introduction”, in: Ernst Mach, Knowledge and Error. Sketches on the Psychology of Enquiry. Dordrecht-Boston: Reidel 1976, p. XIII.
- 29.
Mach to James, June 28, 1907. In passing he also asks James for his consent to the translation of the book by his friend Wilhelm Jerusalem .
- 30.
William James , Collected Essays and Reviews. Longmans, Green and Co 1920, p. 449 f.
- 31.
James to Mach, 9 August 1905, cit. From Thiele, Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation, loc.cit, p. 175. Further appraisals but also critical comments can be found in James’ comments on Mach’s books in the James papers at Houghton Library, Harvard University.
- 32.
This is confirmed by the James biographer R.B. Perry , The Thought and Character of William James (Oxford University Press 1935/1936), I p. 586 f. and II, p. 462.
- 33.
Cf. the detailed overview in Mach, Knowledge and Error, loc.cit., pp. 370 ff.
- 34.
“With regard to the idea of concepts of labor-saving instruments, the late Prof. William James directed in conversation my attention to points of agreements between my writings and his essay on ‘The Sentiment of Rationality’ …”
- 35.
Ernst Mach, Knowledge and Error. Sketches on the Psychology of Enquiry. With an Introduction by Erwin N. Hiebert. Dordrecht-Boston: Reidel 1976.
- 36.
Mach and Peirce in The Monist (1890–1913):
- 1890:
-
Mach “The Analysis of Sensations: Antimetaphysical”, Peirce “The Architecture of Theories”
- 1891:
-
Mach “Some Questions of Psycho-Physics: Sensations and the Elements of Reality (Dewey “The Present Position of Logical Theory”)
- 1892:
-
Mach “Facts and Mental Symbols”, Peirce “The Doctrine of Necessity Examined”, “The Law of Mind”, “Man’s Glassy Essence”
- 1893:
-
Peirce “Evolutionary Love”, [Dewey “The Superstition of Necessity”], Peirce “Response to the Necessitarians”
- 1894:
-
Mach “On the Principle of the Conservation of Energy”
- 1896 :
-
Mach “On the Part Played by Accident in Invention and Discovery”, “On the Stereoscopic Application of Roentgen’s Rays”, Peirce “The Regenerated Logic”
- 1897:
-
Peirce “The Logic of Relatives”, Mach “On Sensations of Orientation”
- 1898:
-
[Dewey “Evolution and Ethics” ]
- 1901:
-
Mach “On Physiological As Distinct from Geometrical Space”
- 1902:
-
Mach “On the Psychological and Natural Development of Geometry”
- 1903:
-
Mach “Space and Geometry from the Point of View of Physical Inquiry”
- 1905:
-
Peirce “What Pragmatism Is” (Vol. 15, No. 2), “Issues of Pragmatism”
- 1906:
-
Peirce “Mr. Peterson’s Proposed Discussion”, “Prolegomena to an Apology for Pragmaticism” Mach (and Paul Carus ) “A Letter from Professor Mach”
- 1908:
-
Peirce “Some Amazing Mazes. First Curiosity”, Peirce “Some Amazing Mazes (Conclusion)”
- 1909:
-
Peirce “Some Amazing Mazes. Second Curiosity”
- 1912:
-
Mach “Inventors I Have Met”
- 1913:
-
Mach “Psychic and Organic Life”
- 37.
Peirce , Manuscript 332. Peirce Archives. Richard S. Robin, Annotated Catalogue of the Papers of Charles S. Peirce. (Thanks to Bastian Stoppelkamp for this reference and further information based on his unpublished manuscript on “Ernst Mach und Pragmatismus”. Wien 2016). Cf. the Peirce edition project: http://www.peirce.iupui.edu/
- 38.
Peirce, Collected Papers. 8 Volumes in an electronic version: https://colorysemiotica.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/peirce-collectedpapers.pdf , 7.220
- 39.
Peirce, Collected Papers, IV, 4.1
- 40.
Thiele, Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation, op.cit. There is also a lot of annotations in Mach’s books in the James archive in Harvard (Houghton Library).
- 41.
Mach to James, June 28, 1907.
- 42.
There are a lot of still unanalyzed annotations in Mach’s books in the archives of James in Harvard’s Houghton Library.
- 43.
James , Pragmatism A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking (1907), Lecture V: Pragmatism and Common Sense.
- 44.
James , Some Problems of Philosophy. A Beginning of an Introduction to Philosophy (1911), p. 90.
- 45.
Perry , The Thought and Character of William James 1936, op.cit, I p. 586 f., II, p. 462.
- 46.
Mach, The Analysis of Sensations and the Relation of the Physical to the Psychical. New York: Dover, 1959, p. 310.
- 47.
Dewey , “The Concept of the Neutral in Recent Epistemology“, in: The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods. (1916–1917), p. 51.
- 48.
A list of references can be found in Mach, Populärwissenschaftliche Vorlesungen 1987, op.cit. S. XL ff.
- 49.
Cf. Ludwig Boltzmann , Populäre Schriften. Leipzig: Barth 1905; Hermann v. Helmholtz , Vorträge und Reden. Braunschweig: Vieweg 1884; Populäre wissenschaftliche Vorträge. Braunschweig: Vieweg 1871.
- 50.
Michael Matthews, “Ernst Mach and Contemporary Science Education Reforms”, in: Ibid. (Ed.), History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching: Selected Readings. Toronto 1991; Manfred Euler, “Revitalizing Ernst Mach’s Popular Scientific Lectures”, in: Science and Education 2007, 16/6, pp. 603–611.
- 51.
Adolf Hohenester , “Ernst Mach als Didaktiker, Lehrbuch- und Lehrplanverfasser”, in: Haller /Stadler , Ernst Mach, loc.cit., pp. 138–166; Friedrich Stadler , “History and Philosophy of Science. Zwischen Deskription und Konstruktion”, in: Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte 3/2012, 217–238. Abridged English version in: Maria Carla Galavotti et al. (Eds.), New Directions in the Philosophy of Science. Cham-Heidelberg-New York-Dordrecht-London: Springer 2014, pp. 747–768.
- 52.
Klaus Hentschel (Stuttgart) is preparing an electronic edition project of Mach’s correspondence at the German Academy Leopoldina (Halle/S.).
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Stadler, F. (2017). Ernst Mach and Pragmatism – The Case of Mach’s Popular Scientific Lectures (1895). In: Pihlström, S., Stadler, F., Weidtmann, N. (eds) Logical Empiricism and Pragmatism. Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook, vol 19. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50730-9_1
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