Exact Thinking in Demented Times: The Vienna Circle and the Epic Quest for the Foundations of Science

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.

“Though it is long gone and not so often talked about today, there is no doubt that ‘The Vienna Circle’ was an assemblage of some of the most impressive human beings who have ever walked the planet, and Karl Sigmund’s book tells its story, and their stories, in a gripping and eloquent fashion.’’Throughout several decades, I was struck by the repeated appearances (influencing modernity) by the thinkers in interwar war Vienna. Popper, Gödel, Wittgenstein, Rudolf Carnap, Oscar Morgenstern, Ludwig Von Mises, Frederic Hayek, Sigmund Freud, Stephen Zweig, Joseph Roth, Karl/Micheal Polanyi, Peter Drucker, etc., etc., all influenced modernity. Wow!Why Vienna? Why at that time? Horrible inflation, terrible political conflict, communism fighting socialism, nationalism overtaking everyone; what a mess! Yes, ‘Demented Times’! This is where huge part of modernity starts??? What was so. . .so. . .significant, so important?“The circle sought to create a purely science-based philosophy without any highbrow talk of unfathomable depths and without any otherworldly obscurantism:“In science there are no ‘depths’; instead, there is surface everywhere. All experience forms a complex network, which cannot always be surveyed in its totality and which often can only be grasped in parts. Everything is accessible to Man; and Man is the measure of all things.”‘Science based philosophy’ still drives much modern thought. These scholars found the key battleground to conquer the ‘old world’. We are ready for a new ‘scientific’ world!“The Vienna Circle forged ahead in the tradition of Ernst Mach and Ludwig Boltzmann, two towering physicists who had made great discoveries and had taught philosophy in turn-of-the-century Vienna. The other main guiding lights of the small band of thinkers were the physicist Albert Einstein, the mathematician David Hilbert, and the philosopher Bertrand Russell.’’What subjects? Well they were . . .“decisively shaping analytical philosophy, formal logic, and economic theory. For example, the algorithms and computer programs that pervade our daily lives can be traced all the way back to the abstract investigations of Russell, Gödel, and Carnap into symbolic logic and computability.Yes, the ideas, the discoveries of these men have shaped human thought. Who were they and how did this happen? This book starts with the foundation - Ernst Mach . . .“Mach’s ideas on the foundations of physics brought him worldwide acclaim. As Karl Popper would later write:“Few great men have had an intellectual impact upon the twentieth century comparable to that of Ernst Mach. He influenced physics, physiology, psychology, the philosophy of science, and pure (or speculative) philosophy. He influenced Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, William James, Bertrand Russell—to mention just a few names.”The reaction - for and against - to Mach produced the intellectual ferment, the problems and questions that drove these professors to debate, write, teach, argue and then - change the world!What other scientific earthquake broke their mental (emotional) stability?“Suddenly, the mathematicians—those who brood in the innermost reaches—came upon something deeply flawed at the very crux of the whole structure, something that simply could not be fixed; they actually looked all the way to the bottom and found that the whole edifice [of mathematics] was floating in midair.’’What! ‘Mathematics deeply flawed’?“And yet the machines still worked! We must therefore assume that our existence is a pale ghost; we live it, but only on the basis of an error without which it would never have arisen. Today, there is no other way to experience such astonishing sensations as those of mathematicians.’’This shock, this tsunami, is still reverberating, even though not commonly known.How did they see their program?“Hahn opened his presentation by defining his terms. The term scientific worldview, he explained, is proposed both as a creed and as a contrast. The term creed may seem strange, coming from the mouth of a confirmed freethinker, but yes:(creed implies a religion)“It helps us to confess our faith in the methodology of the exact sciences, especially mathematics and physics, and our faith in careful logical inference (in contrast to bold flights of fancy, mystical intuitions, and emotional ways of relating to the world), and our faith. . .(this hard headed mathematician needs ‘faith’!). . .in the patient observation of phenomena, isolated as much as possible, no matter how negligible and insignificant they may appear in themselves (as opposed to the poetic, imaginative attempt to grasp wholes and complexes that are as vast and as all-encompassing as possible).”(Sigmund adds)“But the term scientific worldview was not just a set of interrelated faiths; it was actually a declaration of war!’’ ONE - Bringing the Vienna Circle into FocusTWO - A Tale of Two ThinkersTHREE - A Trial Run for the Vienna CircleFOUR - The Circle Starts RollingFIVE - The Turn of the CircleSIX - The Circle Makes a Name for ItselfSEVEN - TangentsEIGHT - The Parallel CircleNINE - The Circle SqueezedTEN - Moral MattersELEVEN - The Circle’s EndTWELVE - Circling the GlobeTHIRTEEN - FadeoutInteresting that Sigmund includes Karl Popper as part of the Vienna Circle, even though he never attended one meeting. Nevertheless, he was there in Vienna and interacted with them. One example . . .“Instead, as was his usual style, he picked his opponents from the heavyweight class. Marxism and psychoanalysis were the two hottest topics of debate in Vienna at that time. Thus it was against those two that Karl Popper launched his attacks. He was not going to accept either one as part of science; indeed, he was going to tackle them both head-on. For a while, even Darwin’s theory of evolution aroused Popper’s suspicions. Popper claimed that anyone who had acquired even a modicum of debating skills could easily shield these doctrines against all criticism, no matter how sharp. And this trait of invulnerability or undefeasibility, he pointed out, was precisely what disqualified such theories from being genuine branches of science.’’In fact Marxism - its adherents and detractors - is a key theme. Also the impact of national socialism and anti-semitism on Vienna and Austria. Very well presented.Sigmund draws a vibrant, colorful, intricate tapestry. Multifaceted, closer to a iridescent mosaic than a photograph. Easy to visualize and fascinating to the eye.Presents both the people - foibles, character, strengths, weaknesses - quickly and clearly. Makes them come alive. Great!Also, excellent explanation of the ideas, the philosophical problems that is the core of their life. These concepts are not superficial or simple questions. Sigmund does outstanding job of presentation. Maybe the best effort I have read for the general reader (some over my head).About fifty b/w photographs. Really helps in visualizing the characters. Wonderful!Two hundred fifty references in bibliography. Astounding scholarship!Four hundred notes, linked in the text. Extremely user friendly. First time I have seen this. Love it!Extensive index (linked). Great!This work deserves ten stars!(See also: “Adventures of a Bystander Hardcover” by Peter F. Drucker; “Ludwig von Mises - Last Knight of Liberalism’’. Both add significant insight to this (amazing) Vienna story!)

Fascinating insights into the people who created modern science, relativity and quantum mechanics, in the face of the rising tide of fascism. A "tour de force" with great detail and insight but I have to say that an abridged version might have been easier to read.

Muchos nombres propios de gente importante, sin profundizar salvo con unos pocos personajes excepcionales (Mach, Boltzmann, Gödel, Wittgenstein, Carnap, etc) y tampoco mucho. Respecto a la famosa anécdota entre Popper y Wittgenstein recomiendo el libro “El atizador de Wittgenstein” de D.J. Edmonds y J.A. Eidinow divertido y ameno. En resumen: un buen retrato de una época, de un lugar y unos personajes irrepetibles. Interesante.

Um livro maravilhoso para quem adora ciência e história, especialmente do período turbulento do antes, durante, entre e pós grandes guerras. A narrativa de Karl Sigmund é muito leve e apaixonante, tornando a leitura rápida e intensa, conduzindo o leitor a viver junto com os precursores e integrantes do Círculo de Viena as descobertas da ciência, o abandono contínuo da metafísica em um mundo que sofria mudanças políticas, econômicas e sociais muito profundas e jamais voltaria a ser o mesmo.A edição também é primorosa nos detalhes, na diagramação, capa dura e imagens (em preto e branco) contextualizando as personalidades envolvidas na narrativa e sua época.Recomendo, com certeza. É um dos melhores livros que já li até hoje.

Sulla qualità del prodotto non posso dire assolutamente nulla per la semplice ragione che non è arrivato! Pertanto il mio giudizio è unicamente rivolto ai tempi di consegna: la forbice era dal 16 al 23 dicembre, ma, purtroppo, il libro non si è mai visto. Così ora sarò obbligato a stare a casa il 27 o 28 dicembre, sperando che in una di queste date sia effettuata la consegna.

Eine wunderbare Schilderung sowohl der politischen Geschichte und, vor allem, der beeindruckenden Entwicklung der Wissenschaften in jener Zeit als auch ein faszinierender Einblick in die vielfältigen menschlichen Schicksale derer, die sie geprägt haben . Aus berufenem Munde, mit großer Klarheit in der Erklärung der wesentlichen Inhalte. Ich habe mich für die - in bestem Englisch geschriebene - Übersetzung entschieden, weil ich auch das Vorwort von Douglas Hofstätter unbedingt lesen wollte. Ich wurde nicht enttäuscht.