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Vienna Circle's Formation
- The Vienna Circle, a group of intellectuals in interwar Vienna, reacted to the Austro-Hungarian Empire's dissolution, foundational crises in mathematics, Einstein's physics, and the rise of Red Vienna.
- They championed a new approach to knowledge, connecting it to the social struggles of their time.
Logical Positivism and Politics
- Logical positivism aimed to resolve knowledge problems and address political issues, visualizing a new role for science in social betterment.
- The Vienna Circle believed their approach, emphasizing empirical verification, aligned with the ethos of the proletariat and would aid social emancipation.
Socialist Roots of Positivism
- Contrary to some perceptions, logical positivism, particularly figures like Neurath, had strong socialist commitments.
- They viewed their work as refining the Marxist tradition, aligning with a scientific and empirically grounded approach to social change.