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Naturalism and Humanism

An Essay on Some Issues of General Education and a Critique of Current Misconceptions Regarding Scientific Method and the Scientific Outlook in Philosophy [1949a]

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Inquiries and Provocations

Part of the book series: Vienna Circle Collection ((VICC,volume 14))

Abstract

The main purpose of this essay is to dispel certain confusions and misunderstandings which still prevent the much-needed constructive synthesis and mutual supplementation of the scientific and humanistic elements in general education. It is my contention that the philosophical foundations of both science and the humanities are widely misconceived; and that the frequently held claim of their basic incompatibilities arises out of philosophical prejudices which, owing to cultural lag, have unfortunately not as yet been completely relegated to oblivion. Science is still identified with an absurd mechanistic reductionism, but this is the caricature of science drawn by representatives of the humanities who are largely ignorant of the nature of modern science and also of the more recent scientific outlook in philosophy. The defenders of the humanities often enough increase the existing tension by holding an equally distorted view of the philosophical basis of the humanities.

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© 1981 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland

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Feigl, H. (1981). Naturalism and Humanism. In: Cohen, R.S. (eds) Inquiries and Provocations. Vienna Circle Collection, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9426-9_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9426-9_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-277-1102-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-9426-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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