In this paper I analyze the relation of two important doctrines of Ernst Mach's epistemology --- namely the theory of the elements, exposed in The Analysis of Sensations, and the economy of thought, mainly explored in Knowledge and Error and elsewhere --- to his historical-critical approach. After discussing Erwin Hiebert's seminal work on Mach's philosophical use of the history of science, I defend the thesis that there is a more profound, structural relationship between Mach's conception of history and the antimetaphysical remarks which open The Analysis of Sensations and introduce his theory of the elements. Finally, I contend that this can provide novel insights in the doctrine of the economy of thought.
Holding the Hand of History : Mach On The History Of Science The Analysis Of Sensations And The Economy Of Thought / L. Guzzardi - In: Interpreting Mach : Critical Essays / [a cura di] J. Preston. - Prima edizione. - Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2021. - ISBN 9781108564311. - pp. 164-183 [10.1017/9781108564311.010]
Holding the Hand of History : Mach On The History Of Science The Analysis Of Sensations And The Economy Of Thought
L. Guzzardi
2021
Abstract
In this paper I analyze the relation of two important doctrines of Ernst Mach's epistemology --- namely the theory of the elements, exposed in The Analysis of Sensations, and the economy of thought, mainly explored in Knowledge and Error and elsewhere --- to his historical-critical approach. After discussing Erwin Hiebert's seminal work on Mach's philosophical use of the history of science, I defend the thesis that there is a more profound, structural relationship between Mach's conception of history and the antimetaphysical remarks which open The Analysis of Sensations and introduce his theory of the elements. Finally, I contend that this can provide novel insights in the doctrine of the economy of thought.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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