Polish Philosophers of Science and Nature in the 20th Century

The volume is a collection of essays about prominent Polish 20th century philosophers of science and scientists who were concerned with problems in the philosophy of science. The contribution made by Polish logicians, especially those from the Lvov-Warsaw School, like Łukasiewicz, Kotarbiński, Czeżowski or Ajdukiewicz, is already well known. One of the aims of the volume is to offer a broader perspective. The papers collected here are devoted to the work of such philosophers as Zawirski, Metallmann, Dąmbska, Mehlberg, Szaniawski and Giedymin as well as to the work of such scientists as Smoluchowski, Fleck, Infeld and Chyliński. The introduction to the volume, written by the editor and Jacek Jadacki, presents an overview of the history of the Polish philosophy of science from the foundation of the Cracow Academy (in 1364) to the present. 74 74 Polish Philosophers of Science and Nature in the 20th Century Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction I. PHILOSOPHERS Jan Łukasiewicz – The Quest for the Form of Science Zygmunt Zawirski – The Notion of Time Tadeusz Kotarbiński – Reism and Science Tomasz Bigaj, Joachim Metallmann – Causality, Determinism and Science Tadeusz Czeżowski – Our Knowledge, though Uncertain, Is Probable Bolesław J. Gawecki – A Philosopher of the Natural Sciences Adam Wiegner – Nonstandard Empiricism Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz – From Radical Conventionalism to Radical Empiricism Janina Hosiasson-Lindenbaumowa – The Logic of Induction Janina Kotarbińska – Logical Methodology and Semantics Izydora Dąmbska – Between Conventionalism and Realism Seweryna Łuszczewska-Romahnowa – Logic and Methodology of Science Henryk Mehlberg – The Reach of Science Maria Kokoszyńska-Lutmanowa – Methodology, Semantics, Truth Stanisław Mazierski – A Theorist of Natural Lawfulness Stanisław Kamiński – A Philosopher and Historian of Science Roman Suszko – From Diachronic Logic to Non-Fregean Logic Halina Mortimer – The Logic of Induction Klemens Szaniawski – Rationality and Statistical Methods Jerzy Giedymin – From the Logic of Science to the Theoretical History of Science II. SCIENTISTS Marian Smoluchowski – A Forerunner of the Chaos Theory Czesław Białobrzeski’s Conception of Science Ludwik Fleck – Thought Collectives and Thought Styles Leopold Infeld – The Problem of Matter and Field Jerzy Rayski – Physicist and Philosopher of Physics Zygmunt Chyliński – Physics and Philosophy Grzegorz Białkowski – Science and Its Subject APPENDIX POLISH PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE. THREE COMMENTARIES Logistic Anti-Irrationalism in Poland Philosophy of Science in Poland Main Orientations in the Contemporary Polish Philosophy of Science POZNAŃ STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE SCIENCES AND THE HUMANITIES