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The book by Sigmund, Exact Thinking in Demanding Times, is a singular contribution to understanding the Vienna Circle. I recall reading Ayer back in the 1950s and trying to see this school of philosophy as an adjunct to scientific understanding. The mix of Mach, Wittgenstein, and others presented an alternative view of philosophical understandings. Having been educated in the scholastic metaphysical world, but becoming an Ockhamist as I became more technically educated, I was attracted to this collection of minds as they exchanged their ideas.
Sigmund brings each of them to life, for better or worse. Having lived in Prague and travelling frequently to Vienna I often wondered how this group met, managed their flow of ideas, and in many ways transformed the way we think. I saw Vienna in the 21st Century as no reflection of what it had been during the time of the Vienna Circle.
Remnants of their influence are in Popper, Wittgenstein, Kuhn, and to a degree even in Russel. Sigmund brings all of these people together in a highly readable and logical manner. One begins to better understand the group.
Atoms exist! This was the first battle that set the groundwork for the ideas that came forth. Sigmund does a brilliant job of bringing this to the fore. It was Einstein in 1905 in his paper on Brownian motion who put forth the model that allowed for the calculation of the number of atoms in a mole, the Avogadro number. For Einstein, by the power of thought, he was able to set forth a theory whose demonstration would yield a verifiable Avogadro's number. Then using this Sigmund (see p 47) can weld together the battle between Mach and Boltzmann, which pre-dated Einstein and his brilliance, and which was between the disbeliever in the atom and the believer.
Mach was in his disbelief in the atom a paradigm of the 19th century physicist, whose understanding of thermodynamics, such as enthalpy and Gibbs Free energy were constructs based on gross properties of a collective mass without any underlying structure. It was then Boltzmann whose understanding of the atom developed what we have in statistical thermodynamics based on fundamental physical constructs secured in the reality of the atom. Mach had to relent, almost. But the ability to predict and then measure, using what could be seen, became a cornerstone to the principals in this group. Sigmund does a splendid job of exposing this change and in doing so by explaining each individual and their interactions.
Sigmund then in Chapter 4 starts the beginning of the Circle. The players such as Neurath and Hahn, post WW I characters which made for the flavor of post war Vienna. Then he introduces Schlick, whose participation will catalyze the Circle. Schlick was one who managed to bridge the world of Kant and Einstein, of the metaphysical and real. Schlick and Einstein struck up a friendship which helped both (see p 102). Schlick started the Circle, if such be the case, with the ability to idolize and promote such figures as Einstein, Hilbert, Planck and Russell (see p 108). Sigmund does a wonderful job in bringing all of these elements out in a highly readable and well flowing manner. Unlike many authors who present facts in an assaulting staccato manner, Sigmund presents his characters and their interactions and contributions in a symphonic manner, one building upon the other. That is what makes this a joy to read.
The discussion by Sigmund on Heidegger on pp 156-157 is superb. It is the discussion of Heidegger and "the nothing". He does allude to the Davos lectures and does not mention the Cassirer debate of 1929. That would have been useful but perhaps a bit afar from the Circle discussions as Sigmund has them evolve.
The discussions on the work of Neurath and Red Vienna and their use of images for propaganda purposes was also quite enlightening (see pp 180-181). This clearly was a blending of the Wittgenstein "picture theory" of language and the beginning of semiotic theory. Neurath exults pictures as a means to communicate, to propagandize, and Sigmund uses this as a sounding board for the Wittgenstein theories.
On pp 210-212 the discussion of the excluded middle opens the door for Godel. Sigmund moves from physics, to philosophy to mathematics to logic, and back again, but the flow is smooth and connected.
The best sentence in the book is on p 262:
"A former schoolmate of Ludwig Wittgenstein had become the chancellor of Germany and he had no intention of stopping with this."
This is the opening sentence but it lays out all that is happening at this time. No six degrees of separation in Vienna, brilliance and savagery often found themselves in the same coffeehouse.
On p 294 there is the one and only mention of A J Ayer, the Brit whose works managed to popularize the Circle as well as its logical positivism. It would have been useful to have expanded this discussion a bit more for those of us whose initial introduction was through Ayer.
In the later chapters Sigmund introduces Popper and Kuhn, Popper and his falsification construct and Kuhn and his paradigms. He also provides details on Godel up to his death, from starvation.
Overall this is a brilliant work and worth reading for anyone interested in the intellectual culture of the first half of the twentieth century. This is Vienna when there were coffee houses and collections of intellectuals. To repeat, Sigmund has created a symphonic approach to blending the collection of intellects who circled one another at this time. This is one of the best descriptions of this place and time.
- Hardcover: 480 pages
- Publisher: Basic Books (December 5, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0465096956
- ISBN-13: 978-0465096954
- Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Average Customer Review: 24 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#148,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Analytic Philosophy
- #104 in Philosopher Biographies
- #152 in Mathematics History
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