Edgar Zilsel
Encyclopedia
Edgar Zilsel was an Austria
n historian
and philosopher of science
. He is considered to be among the modern "pioneers of the sociology of science".
, Jacob Zilsel and his wife, Ina Kollmer, and had two older sisters, Wallie and Irma. He attended high school at the Franz-Joseph-Gymnasium between 1902 and 1910 and then attended the University of Vienna
where he studied philosophy, physics, and mathematics. He served in the military
between August 1 and December 15, 1914 and received his Ph.d in 1915 while under the supervision of Heinrich Gomperz
. His dissertation was entitled "A Philosophical Investigation of the Law of Large Numbers and related Laws." After working as a mathematician at an insurance company for a few months, he found a position as a teacher on February 16, 1917. He passed his teacher's examination on November 18, 1918 in mathematics, physics, and natural history. Although linked to the Vienna Circle
, Zilsel wrote criticizing the views of Circle members. As a Jewish Marxist
he was unable to pursue an academic career in Austria. He participated actively in working people's education, teaching philosophy and physics at the Vienna People's University. From 1934 he taught mathematics and physics at a secondary school (Mittelschule) in Vienna.
As a philosopher, he combined Marxist views with the logical positivism
of the Vienna Circle
. He regularly published articles in academic as well as socialist
journals. An extended version of his PhD thesis was published as a book (The Application Problem: a Philosophical Investigation of the Law of Large Numbers and its Induction). Two other books, The Religion of Genius: A Critical Study of the Modern Ideal of Personality and The Development of the Concept of Genius: a Contribution to the Conceptual History of Antiquity and Early Capitalism were published in 1918 and 1926 respectively.
Zilsel managed to escape from Austria after the Anschluss
, first to England
and in 1939 to the United States
where he received a Rockefeller Fellowship
enabling him to devote time to research. He published many papers during these years of exile, the most famous of which is his "Sociological Roots of Modern Science". In 1943, Zilsel was invited by Lynn White to teach physics at Mills College
in California, but shortly thereafter committed suicide in his office with an overdose of sleeping pills
.
as an explanation for the rise of Western science. Zilsel claimed that the rise of capitalism
led to the interaction of craftspeople
with scholars. This interaction in turn led to the beginnings of early modern science. The craftspeople had been for the most part illiterate and looked down upon by the educated classes. The scholars were ignorant of practical craft activity. The intellectual theorizing of the crafts and the absorption of craft knowledge into the investigation of nature led to the development of experimental science. An example of this is William Gilbert's use of the mariner Robert Norman
's practical knowledge of the compass
to develop a theory of magnetism
. Galileo's combination of mathematical theory and experimental practice was the culmination of this interpolation
.
Another theory of Zilsel was that the rise of the notion of laws of nature in early modern science was a product of the generalization of the juridical concept of law to natural phenomena. Just as the king lays down the legal laws for the nation, God lays down the laws of nature for the universe.
Zilsel's ideas were used by the historian of Chinese science
, Joseph Needham
to account for the lack of experimental science in traditional China despite the Chinese being in advance of the West in both technology and in many areas of natural history observation.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and philosopher of science
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
. He is considered to be among the modern "pioneers of the sociology of science".
Life
Edgar Zilsel was the youngest child of a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Jacob Zilsel and his wife, Ina Kollmer, and had two older sisters, Wallie and Irma. He attended high school at the Franz-Joseph-Gymnasium between 1902 and 1910 and then attended the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
where he studied philosophy, physics, and mathematics. He served in the military
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
between August 1 and December 15, 1914 and received his Ph.d in 1915 while under the supervision of Heinrich Gomperz
Heinrich Gomperz
Heinrich Gomperz was an Austrian philosopher.He was a son of Theodor Gomperz...
. His dissertation was entitled "A Philosophical Investigation of the Law of Large Numbers and related Laws." After working as a mathematician at an insurance company for a few months, he found a position as a teacher on February 16, 1917. He passed his teacher's examination on November 18, 1918 in mathematics, physics, and natural history. Although linked to the Vienna Circle
Vienna Circle
The Vienna Circle was an association of philosophers gathered around the University of Vienna in 1922, chaired by Moritz Schlick, also known as the Ernst Mach Society in honour of Ernst Mach...
, Zilsel wrote criticizing the views of Circle members. As a Jewish Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
he was unable to pursue an academic career in Austria. He participated actively in working people's education, teaching philosophy and physics at the Vienna People's University. From 1934 he taught mathematics and physics at a secondary school (Mittelschule) in Vienna.
As a philosopher, he combined Marxist views with the logical positivism
Logical positivism
Logical positivism is a philosophy that combines empiricism—the idea that observational evidence is indispensable for knowledge—with a version of rationalism incorporating mathematical and logico-linguistic constructs and deductions of epistemology.It may be considered as a type of analytic...
of the Vienna Circle
Vienna Circle
The Vienna Circle was an association of philosophers gathered around the University of Vienna in 1922, chaired by Moritz Schlick, also known as the Ernst Mach Society in honour of Ernst Mach...
. He regularly published articles in academic as well as socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
journals. An extended version of his PhD thesis was published as a book (The Application Problem: a Philosophical Investigation of the Law of Large Numbers and its Induction). Two other books, The Religion of Genius: A Critical Study of the Modern Ideal of Personality and The Development of the Concept of Genius: a Contribution to the Conceptual History of Antiquity and Early Capitalism were published in 1918 and 1926 respectively.
Zilsel managed to escape from Austria after the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
, first to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and in 1939 to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he received a Rockefeller Fellowship
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
enabling him to devote time to research. He published many papers during these years of exile, the most famous of which is his "Sociological Roots of Modern Science". In 1943, Zilsel was invited by Lynn White to teach physics at Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in California, but shortly thereafter committed suicide in his office with an overdose of sleeping pills
Hypnotic
Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactives whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia...
.
Theses
Zilsel proposed the Zilsel ThesisThe Zilsel Thesis
The Zilsel thesis in the history and philosophy of science proposes an explanation for why modern science emerged in the early 17th century in Western Europe and not in other places or eras....
as an explanation for the rise of Western science. Zilsel claimed that the rise of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
led to the interaction of craftspeople
Master craftsman
A master craftsman or master tradesman was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only masters were allowed to be members of the guild....
with scholars. This interaction in turn led to the beginnings of early modern science. The craftspeople had been for the most part illiterate and looked down upon by the educated classes. The scholars were ignorant of practical craft activity. The intellectual theorizing of the crafts and the absorption of craft knowledge into the investigation of nature led to the development of experimental science. An example of this is William Gilbert's use of the mariner Robert Norman
Robert Norman
Robert Norman was a 16th century-English mariner, compass builder, and hydrographer who discovered magnetic inclination, the deviation of the Earth's magnetic field from the vertical.- Work :...
's practical knowledge of the compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
to develop a theory of magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
. Galileo's combination of mathematical theory and experimental practice was the culmination of this interpolation
Interpolation
In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points....
.
Another theory of Zilsel was that the rise of the notion of laws of nature in early modern science was a product of the generalization of the juridical concept of law to natural phenomena. Just as the king lays down the legal laws for the nation, God lays down the laws of nature for the universe.
Zilsel's ideas were used by the historian of Chinese science
History of science and technology in China
The history of science and technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology. In antiquity, independently of other civilizations, ancient Chinese philosophers made significant advances in science, technology, mathematics, and astronomy...
, Joseph Needham
Joseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
to account for the lack of experimental science in traditional China despite the Chinese being in advance of the West in both technology and in many areas of natural history observation.