The New Encyclopedia of Scientific Empiricism

Abstract

For a long time there has been a growing movement that is called ‘logical empiricism’ because of its theoretical basis, and ‘Unity of Science Movement’ because of its most important practical aim; thinkers and representatives of individual sciences, who share an empiricist, anti-apriorist standpoint, are found united in it. The name ‘logical empiricism’ characterises the combination of two interests that had so far always been hostile to each other in the history of human thinking, namely interests in empiricism and logic. The application of these basic ideas leads to the attempt to investigate the individual sciences — which at present find themselves quite isolated while standing side by side — for their logical structure, to show up their ‘cross-connections’ and their common foundation, and to present them as parts of one single comprehensive unified science, with the help of a unified language. For the advancement of this program there have been annual international congresses for the unity of science since 1935. At the first of these congresses (Paris, 1935) a resolution was adopted to support the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science whose publication had been suggested by the Mundaneum Institute. The first two parts, which will be of a general introductory character and will especially stress what the standpoints have in common, are to appear in 1938 and 1939. In the succeeding volumes, above all single questions of the logical foundation of the special disciplines will be treated; divergences of opinion are to be brought out and presented by advocates of opposing views in order to ease and further the solution of these contradictions. Since the encyclopedia addresses itself to people with a general scientific interest, special attention will be given to the manner of presentation.