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Philipp Frank and the “Conference for Science, Philosophy and Religion”, 1940–1968

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The Vienna Circle and Religion

Part of the book series: Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook ((VCIY,volume 25))

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Abstract

As the only representative of the former Vienna Circle and the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science, Philipp Frank (1884–1966) participated actively in the annual interdisciplinary “Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion” in the 1940s. Together with Albert Einstein he defended modern science and its philosophy against metaphysics, ethics and theology, published in the book Relativity – A Richer Truth (1950, German 1952). After considerations on the relation of the Vienna Circle and religion the article describes and interprets Frank’s contributions during this Cold War period. This is presented as an attempt to justify Logical Empiricism and pragmatism as contributions to a democratic way of life and to reject the critics of relativism, which was seen as responsible for the rise of totalitarianism.

Thanks go to Ádám Tuboly for his critical reading and Camilla Nielsen for translations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Wiener Kreis, Universität Wien and Vienna Circle Society, Vienna, Austria

    Friedrich Stadler

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  1. Friedrich Stadler
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Correspondence to Friedrich Stadler .

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  1. Institute for Philosophy and Institute Vienna Circle, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Esther Ramharter

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Stadler, F. (2022). Philipp Frank and the “Conference for Science, Philosophy and Religion”, 1940–1968. In: Ramharter, E. (eds) The Vienna Circle and Religion. Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook, vol 25. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76151-6_8

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