The Boris Hessen and Philosophy: The Socioeconomic Roots of Classical and Modern Physics

In 1931, Soviet philosopher, Boris Hessen presented a paper at the Second International Congress of the History of Science and Technology in London, England. It was a watershed moment, marking the founding of the ‘externalist’ approach to the history and philosophy of science. Five years after this talk, however, Hessen was executed in what became Joseph Stalin’s Great Purge of the 1930s. Nearly a century after his death, we still know all too little about this pioneering figure and his expansive oeuvre. In this book, Sean Winkler provides a reading of Hessen’s philosophy and its unique approach to understanding the relationship between socioeconomic development, technological progress and natural scientific theory. To further encourage the study of Hessen, the book also includes first-time translations of his contributions to the Soviet Encyclopedia. Through a systematic analysis, Winkler reflects upon Hessen’s contribution to the history and philosophy of science of the past and his possible significance in the world today. "This book articulates Soviet philosopher Boris Hessen's groundbreaking analysis of socioeconomic development, technological progress, and natural scientific theory; reassesses Hessen's legacy to the history and philosophy of science; and reflects on Hessen's enduring significance in today's world of social inequality and technological progress"-- Provided by publisher Sean Winkler provides a comprehensive reading of the work of pioneering figure to the history and philosophy of science, Boris Hessen. This analysis of Hessen's oeuvre engages with texts previously unstudied in the English and includes translations crucial to understanding Hessen's importance to modern physics. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1: Practice and Ideology 2: Idealism and Materialism 3: Modern Physics 4: A Pantheon of Great Ideas Conclusion Postscript Space Ether Energy Entropy The Ergodic Hypothesis Einstein Bibliography Index