This is one of the clearest expositions in laypersons terms of Einstein's theory of relativity and its paradigm-shifting implications for philosophy and common-sense notions of reality. Moritz Schlick, the influential German philosopher and leader of the positivist school of philosophy known as the Vienna Circle, wrote this short work in 1919 specifically to introduce readers unfamiliar with Einstein's theories to the profound importance of the physicist's immense contributions. Einstein himself reviewed Schlick's work before publication and is thanked in the preface for 'giving me many useful hints'. With a talent for illustrative analogies and a concise, lucid style of presentation, Schlick explains both the special and the general theories of relativity. Beginning with the older Newtonian view of space, time, and the laws governing matter, the author proceeds to show how Einstein's theories solved certain problems inherent in the old view and provided a radical new conception of reality. Since their original publication, numerous experiments have confirmed Einstein's ideas.;Thus, Schlick's work continues to be a valuable and highly accessible explication of one of science's most enduring achievements.

INTRODUCTION The present volume unites contributions by the leading figure of the Vienna Circle and by two of his closest assoCiates, contributions that deal with an area of thought represented, indeed, in this Collection but certainly not the central one in the common picture ofthe Circle's activities. It is no accident that an interest in ethics and the philosophy of action was particularly marked in what Neurath was apt to call the right wing of the Circle. For them, as for Wittgenstein (the respected mentorofSchlickandWaismanninparticular), theadvancetobehoped for in philosophy consisted not solely in freeing natural science from a confused sense of dependence on speculative metaphysics but also in seeingthatotherareasoflanguageandaction hadto bethoughtaboutin theirownterms, whichwereneitherthoseofnaturalsciencenorthoseof philosophy as traditionally conceived. The scepticismofSchlick about theprogrammeofUnifiedSciencewaswellknown: EinheizwissenschaJt he called it, as it might be 'boozified science'. And in sober truth the programme sometimes masked a left-wing set of values taken (surely illogically) for granted, though the membersofthe Circle entertained a wide range ofpolitical views. Schlick's own contribution to the present volume is a section from thenotesforoneofhisfinal lectureseries, forsightofwhich wewarmly thanktheonlysurvivingcontributortoourvolume, DrJosephSchachter: Schlick'sgrandsonDra. M. H. vandeVeldehaskindlyconsentedtotheir publication. This section poses the problem we have outlined: there are questionsandaneedforclarificationinethics, butthesenomoredemand a metaphysical solution than does a similar situation in epistemology. Here, as in his earlier Problems of Ethics, l Schlick sets his face against thewholeprocess, mostobviousin Kant, ofmakingtheconceptofvalue absolute. One might say that for Schlick there is no unhypothetical imperative.

INTRODUCTION The present volume unites contributions by the leading figure of the Vienna Circle and by two of his closest assoCiates, contributions that deal with an area of thought represented, indeed, in this Collection but certainly not the central one in the common picture ofthe Circle's activities. It is no accident that an interest in ethics and the philosophy of action was particularly marked in what Neurath was apt to call the right wing of the Circle. For them, as for Wittgenstein (the respected mentorofSchlickandWaismanninparticular), theadvancetobehoped for in philosophy consisted not solely in freeing natural science from a confused sense of dependence on speculative metaphysics but also in seeingthatotherareasoflanguageandaction hadto bethoughtaboutin theirownterms, whichwereneitherthoseofnaturalsciencenorthoseof philosophy as traditionally conceived. The scepticismofSchlick about theprogrammeofUnifiedSciencewaswellknown: EinheizwissenschaJt he called it, as it might be 'boozified science'. And in sober truth the programme sometimes masked a left-wing set of values taken (surely illogically) for granted, though the membersofthe Circle entertained a wide range ofpolitical views. Schlick's own contribution to the present volume is a section from thenotesforoneofhisfinal lectureseries, forsightofwhich wewarmly thanktheonlysurvivingcontributortoourvolume, DrJosephSchachter: Schlick'sgrandsonDra. M. H. vandeVeldehaskindlyconsentedtotheir publication. This section poses the problem we have outlined: there are questionsandaneedforclarificationinethics, butthesenomoredemand a metaphysical solution than does a similar situation in epistemology. Here, as in his earlier Problems of Ethics, l Schlick sets his face against thewholeprocess, mostobviousin Kant, ofmakingtheconceptofvalue absolute. One might say that for Schlick there is no unhypothetical imperative.

First published in Germany in 1918, this acutely reasoned treatise attacks many of philosophys contemporary sacred cows, including the concept of metaphysics and Kants arguments for synthetic a priori knowledge. The book expounds most of the doctrines that would later be identified with the classical period of the Vienna Circle. Unlike many of his peers, Schlick displays a detailed and sensitive knowledge of the traditions he criticizes, displayed here in the chief work of this pioneering Viennese philosopher.

Die Allgemeine Erkenntnislehre gilt als das Hauptwerk von Moritz Schlick. Hierin entwickelt Schlick in Auseinandersetzung mit zeitgenossischen Positionen seine einflussreichen Gedanken zum Wesen der Erkenntnis, zum Verhaltnis zwischen Psychologie und Logik, zum Leib-Seele-Problem und zum erkenntnistheoretischen Realismusstreit. Der Text wurde wahrend der fruhen Rostocker Jahre Schlicks, von 1911 bis 1916, verfasst. Die Allgemeine Erkenntnislehre ist ein Meilenstein der wissenschaftlichen Philosophie und grundlegend fur die spatere Entwicklung des Wiener Kreises des Logischen Empirismus. "

Seit beinahe einem Jahrhundert sind Mathematiker und Logiker mit Erfolg bemuht, aus der Logik eine strenge Wissen. schaft zu machen. Dieses Ziel ist in einem gewissen Sinn erreicht worden: man hat gelernt, in der Logistik mit Symbolen und Formeln ahnlich denen der Mathematik in strenger Weise zu operieren. Aber ein logisches Buch muss ausser den Formeln auch Zwischentext enthalten, der mit Hilfe der gewohnlichen Wort. sprache uber die Formeln spricht und ihren Zusammenhang klar macht. Dieser Zwischentext lasst oft an Klarheit und Exakt. heit manches zu wunschen ubrig. In den letzten Jahren nun hat sich bei den Logikern verschiedener Richtungen immer mehr die Einsicht entwickelt, dass dieser Zwischentext das Wesentliche an der Logik ist und dass es darauf ankommt, fur diese Satze uber Satze eine exakte Methode zu entwickeln. Dieses Buch will die systematische Darstellung einer solchen Methode, der "logischen Syntax," geben (nahere Erlauterungen in der Einleitung, 1, 2). In unserem "Wiener Kreis" und in manchen ahnlich gerich. teten Gruppen (in Polen, Frankreich, England, USA. und ver. einzelt sogar in Deutschland) hat sich gegenwartig die Auffassung immer deutlicher herausgebildet, dass die traditionelle meta. physische Philosophie keinen Anspruch auf Wissenschaftlichkeit machen kann. Was an der Arbeit des Philosophen wissenschaft. lich haltbar ist, besteht - soweit es nicht empirische Fragen betrifft, die der Realwissenschaft zuzuweisen sind - in logischer Analyse. Die logische Syntax will nun ein Begriffsgebaude, eine Sprache liefern, mit deren Hilfe die Ergebnisse logischer Analyse exakt formulierbar sind. Philosophie wird durch Wissen."

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Dieser Buchtitel ist Teil des Digitalisierungsprojekts Springer Book Archives mit Publikationen, die seit den Anfangen des Verlags von 1842 erschienen sind. Der Verlag stellt mit diesem Archiv Quellen fur die historische wie auch die disziplingeschichtliche Forschung zur Verfugung, die jeweils im historischen Kontext betrachtet werden mussen. Dieser Titel erschien in der Zeit vor 1945 und wird daher in seiner zeittypischen politisch-ideologischen Ausrichtung vom Verlag nicht beworben.

Dieser Buchtitel ist Teil des Digitalisierungsprojekts Springer Book Archives mit Publikationen, die seit den Anfangen des Verlags von 1842 erschienen sind. Der Verlag stellt mit diesem Archiv Quellen fur die historische wie auch die disziplingeschichtliche Forschung zur Verfugung, die jeweils im historischen Kontext betrachtet werden mussen. Dieser Titel erschien in der Zeit vor 1945 und wird daher in seiner zeittypischen politisch-ideologischen Ausrichtung vom Verlag nicht beworben.

Dieser Buchtitel ist Teil des Digitalisierungsprojekts Springer Book Archives mit Publikationen, die seit den Anfangen des Verlags von 1842 erschienen sind. Der Verlag stellt mit diesem Archiv Quellen fur die historische wie auch die disziplingeschichtliche Forschung zur Verfugung, die jeweils im historischen Kontext betrachtet werden mussen. Dieser Titel erschien in der Zeit vor 1945 und wird daher in seiner zeittypischen politisch-ideologischen Ausrichtung vom Verlag nicht beworben.

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

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