| Description |
1 online resource (xii, 287 pages) : illustrations |
| Contents |
Cover -- Half-title -- Title page -- Copyright information -- Dedication -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- List of Contributors -- Introduction: A New Mach for a New Millennium -- Mach's Career and Principal Publications -- Mach's Influence -- The Volume's Papers -- Reference -- 1 Ernst Mach's Piano and the Making of a Psychophysical Imaginarium -- A Psychophysical Imaginarium -- Mach's Vienna -- Psychophysical Parallelism and Epistemic Analogies -- Mach's Piano -- Conclusion -- References -- 2 Mother's Milk and More: On the Role of Ernst Mach's Relational Physics in the Development of Einstein's Theory of Relativity -- Ernst Mach as an Epistemologist: An Overview -- Mechanics in Mach's Early Research -- The Frameworks and Forums for Critique -- Mach's Die Mechanik in ihrer Entwickelung: Mother's Milk and More -- Mother's Milk and More -- References -- 3 Meaningful Work: Ernst Mach on Energy Conservation -- Introduction -- Mach in the Context of Nineteenth-Century Debates on Energy Conservation -- Terminological Confusion and Widespread Use -- Fresh Perspectives on (the) Meaning (of Energy Conservation) -- Conclusion -- References -- 4 Mach on Analogy in Science -- Introduction -- The Distinctiveness of Analogy -- Mach's Account of Analogy -- Mach on Analogy in Natural Science -- Conclusion -- References -- 5 Ernst Mach's Enlightenment Pragmatism: History and Economy in Scientific Cognition -- Mach's Ideal of Enlightenment -- A Dialectical Conception of Enlightenment -- The Mechanics of Mach's Historical Enlightenment -- Mach's Non-Reductive Naturalism -- The Economy of Thought -- The Principle of Scientific Significance -- Conclusion -- References -- 6 On the Philosophical and Scientific Relationship between Ernst Mach and William James -- Recent Interest in Mach and James -- Philosophical Arrows of Influence |
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The Empirical Conversation between Mach and James -- References -- 7 Ernst Mach and Friedrich Nietzsche: On the Prejudices of Scientists -- Phenomenalism -- Enlightenment -- Interpretative Problems -- A Broader Viewpoint -- References -- 8 Abstraction, Pragmatism, and History in Mach's Economy of Science -- Introduction -- Mach's World-Elements -- Objectivity and History in Mach and Helmholtz -- Instinctive Knowledge and the Laws of Nature -- The Dynamics of the Economy of Science -- Conclusion: Abstraction, Pragmatism, and History as Economical Methods -- References -- 9 Holding the Hand of History: Mach on the History of Science, the Analysis of Sensations, and the Economy of Thought -- Introduction -- Mach on the Utility of History for Life -- Was Ist Metaphysik? The History of Science and The Analysis of Sensations -- Mach on the Economy of Thought and the History of Science -- Thought Economy and History Reconciled -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- 10 Ernst Mach and the Vienna Circle: A Re-evaluation of the Reception and Influence of His Work -- Mach in the Manifesto The Scientific World-Conception: The Vienna Circle -- Mach and the 'First Vienna Circle' (1907-1912) -- Mach in the Vienna Circle Period (1924-1936) and Beyond -- Conclusion -- References -- 11 Narratives Divided: The Austrian and the German Mach -- The Planck-Mach Debate and the Emergence of a German Mach -- A Dispute about Boltzmann's Legacy -- Facts and Principles -- The Creation of a Narrative -- How Machian Was the Early Planck? -- What Was Mach's Legacy? Three Obituaries -- Einstein Sets the Stage -- Duelling Obituaries -- Exner's Synthesis between Mach and Boltzmann -- Prague: From Enlightenment to the Scientific World-Conception -- Reclaiming a Local Hero for a New Movement -- Against Mach's Sloppy Laws of Nature |
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Schlick and Planck: Rapprochement under the Banner of Verificationism -- Conclusion -- References -- 12 Phenomenalism, or Neutral Monism, in Mach's Analysis of Sensations? -- Introduction: Two Ways of Reading Mach -- Mach's Argument against Traditional Philosophical Views and the Appearance/Reality Distinction -- Why Mach's View Was Not Phenomenalism -- Why Mach's View Has Been Thought to Be Phenomenalism -- Factor 1: Substance-Concepts as Referring to 'Complexes of Elements' -- Factor 2: 'Sensations' and the Subject -- Factor 3: Characterising Sensations and Elements as 'Given' -- Factor 4: Mach's Examples of 'Sensations' and 'Elements' -- Factor 5: Dependence on the Physiology of the Senses -- Factor 6: Spaces and Times as 'Sensations' -- The Physical and the Mental -- Mach as a Radically Revisionist Metaphysician? -- Conclusion, and a Doubt about Whether Mach Was a Neutral Monist -- References -- 13 The Case for Mach's Neutral Monism -- Introduction -- What Is Neutral Monism? -- Mach's Neutral Sensation-Elements -- The Existence of the World Elements -- Natural Functions and Forceful Qualities -- 'Das Ich ist unrettbar': The Self Cannot Be Saved -- Space and Time -- Knowledge and Error -- Conclusion: The Two Traditions of Mach Interpretation and Their Relation to Contemporary Philosophy of Mind -- References -- Index |
| Summary |
"This volume presents new essays on the work and thought of physicist, psychologist and philosopher Ernst Mach. Moving away from previous estimations of Mach as a pre-logical positivist, the essays reflect his rehabilitation as a thinker of direct relevance to debates in the contemporary philosophies of natural science, psychology, metaphysics and mind. Topics covered include Mach's work on acoustical psychophysics and physics; his ideas on analogy and the principle of conservation of energy; the correct interpretation of his scheme of 'elements' and its relationship to his 'historical-critical' method; the relationship of his thought to movements such as American pragmatism, realism, and neutral monism, as well as to contemporary figures such as Friedrich Nietzsche; and the reception and influence of his works in Germany and Austria, particularly by the Vienna Circle"-- Provided by publisher |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
John M. Preston is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, the University of Reading, Reading, UK |
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Print version record |
| Subject |
Mach, Ernst, 1838-1916.
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Mach, Ernst, 1838-1916. |
| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Preston, John, 1957- editor.
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| LC no. |
2020041975 |
| ISBN |
9781108564311 |
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1108564313 |
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