Encyclopedia and Utopia

The present Volume 4 of the Vienna Circle Yearbook is dedicated to Otto Neurath, one of the leading figures of the Vienna Circle and one of last polymaths representative of the vanished culture from which the Circle emerged. Situating Neurath's work between the topoi of Encyclopedism - as a theoretical, scientific tool of the `unfinished' project of (post-) enlightenment - and Utopianism - as the resolve to work for the systematic improvement of society and science - this volume presents the most recent research as well as critical and updated surveys and assessments of Neurath's many-faceted and impressive life work. The contributions range from history and philosophy of science, epistemology, sociology and economics to pictorial statistics (ISOTYPE) and museology. Special attention is given to Neurath's methodological holism and epistemological naturalism, as well as to the interrelations of the different disciplines in Neurath's conception of the Unity of Science. Most contributors agree that the historical and systematic reconstruction of Neurath's conception of science leads to issues of crucial relevance to the ongoing task of sharpening the instrument that is science for its responsible application in the natural and social world. The volume also includes Neurath's previously unpublished full manuscript on visual education, a report on archival holdings concerning Neurath's work and a review section focusing on recent publications on Neurath and Logical Empiricism. An overview of the activities of the Institute Vienna Circle 1996/97 concludes the volume.
Audience: Philosophers in general, philosophers of science and historians of science, and sociologists. The book will also interest scholars specialized in adult education, museology and economics.

Klappentext

The present Volume 4 of the Vienna Circle Yearbook is dedicated to Otto Neurath, one of the leading figures of the Vienna Circle and one of last polymaths representative of the vanished culture from which the Circle emerged. Situating Neurath's work between the topoi of Encyclopedism - as a theoretical, scientific tool of the `unfinished' project of (post-) enlightenment - and Utopianism - as the resolve to work for the systematic improvement of society and science - this volume presents the most recent research as well as critical and updated surveys and assessments of Neurath's many-faceted and impressive life work. The contributions range from history and philosophy of science, epistemology, sociology and economics to pictorial statistics (ISOTYPE) and museology. Special attention is given to Neurath's methodological holism and epistemological naturalism, as well as to the interrelations of the different disciplines in Neurath's conception of the Unity of Science. Most contributors agree that the historical and systematic reconstruction of Neurath's conception of science leads to issues of crucial relevance to the ongoing task of sharpening the instrument that is science for its responsible application in the natural and social world. The volume also includes Neurath's previously unpublished full manuscript on visual education, a report on archival holdings concerning Neurath's work and a review section focusing on recent publications on Neurath and Logical Empiricism. An overview of the activities of the Institute Vienna Circle 1996/97 concludes the volume. Audience: Philosophers in general, philosophers of science and historians of science, and sociologists. The book will also interest scholars specialized in adult education, museology and economics.

Zusammenfassung
Presents the research as well as critical surveys and assessments of Otto Neurath's many-faceted and impressive life work. This book suitable for scholars specialized in adult education, museology and economics. It focuses on Neurath's methodological holism and epistemological naturalism.

Inhalt
Editorial. Articles: Encyclopedia and Utopia: The Life and Work of Otto Neurath. Otto Neurath - Encyclopedia and Utopia; F. Stadler. Otto Neurath's Vision of Science Between Utopia and Encyclopedia; E. Nemeth. I: Otto Neurath - Life, Work, and Influence. Otto Neurath (1882-1945) - Life and Work; P. Neurath. Otto Neurath - For and Against; R. Haller. Philosophy in the Earthly Plane; N. Cartwright, T.E. Uebel. II: Scientific World Conception - Unity of Science - Encyclopedia. Vienna Circle and French Enlightenment - A Comparison of Diderot's Encyclopédie with Neurath's International Encyclopedia of Unified Science; H.-J. Dahms. Atlases, Cities, Mosaics - Neurath and the Encyclopédie; W. Tega. Terminology in Action: Neurath and the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science; G. Reisch. Encyclopedism as an Anti-Cartesian Account of Language and Science; T. Mormann. Normativity and Convention - On the Constructivist Element of Neurath's Naturalism; T.E. Uebel. The Auxiliary Motive in the Forest and in Optics; M. Stöltzner. Can Science be Likened to a Well-Written Fairy Tale? A Contemporary Reply to Schlick's Objections to Neurath's Coherence Theory; T. Grundmann. III: Pictorial Statistics - Isotype - Museology. Otto Neurath and Contemporary Knowledge and Information Societies - A Newly Established Liaison; K.H. Müller. Isotype and Infographics; A. Jansen. The Changing Media of Visual Statistics; D. Skopec. Otto Neurath and the CIAM - The International Pictorial Language as a Notational System for Town Planning; E. Chapel. Otto Neurath and the Modern Public Museum: The Case of theNatural History Museum (London); R. Miles. Scientific World Conceptions' and Museum Planning; H. Kräutler. IV: Economy, Sociology, and Planning. Otto Neurath and Planning Theory; A. Faludi. Theories of Life Conditions Since Otto Neurath &endash; Some Fragments; A. Amann. Otto Neurath or the Will to Plan; A. Soulez. Otto Neurath, Proletarian Democracy' and Social Planning; J. Dvořák. Visual Education &endash; Humanisation versus Popularisation; O. Neurath. (ed. by J. Manninen. The Otto Neurath Nachlaß in Haarlem (NL); R. Fabian. Reviews. Activities of the Institute Vienna Circle. Survey 1996. Preview 1997. Index of Names.