Friedrich Waismann - Causality and Logical Positivism

Friedrich Waismann (1896–1959) was one of the most gifted students and collaborators ofMoritz Schlick. Accepted as a discussion partner by Wittgenstein from 1927 on, he functionedas spokesman for the latter’s ideas in the Schlick Circle, until Wittgenstein’s contactwith this most faithful interpreter was broken off in 1935 and not renewed when exile tookWaismann to Cambridge. Nonetheless, at Oxford, where he went in 1939, and eventuallybecame Reader in Philosophy of Mathematics (changing later to Philosophy of Science),Waismann made important and independent contributions to analytic philosophy and philosophyof science (for example in relation to probability, causality and linguistic analysis).The full extent of these only became evident later when the larger (unpublished) part of hiswritings could be studied. His first posthumous work The Principles of Linguistic Philosophy(1965, 2nd edn.1997; German 1976) and his earlier Einführung in das mathematischeDenken (1936) have recently proved of fresh interest to the scientific community. This lateflowering and new understanding of Waismann’s position is connected with the fact that hesomewhat unfairly fell under the shadow of Wittgenstein, his mentor and predecessor.Central to this book about a life and work familiar to few is unpublishedand unknown works on causality and probability. These are commented on inthis volume, which will also include a publication of new or previously scatteredmaterial and an overview of Waismann’s life.