The Philosopher

Otto Neurath

The face

The background

Nationality:
Austrian
Schools:
Analytic philosophy, Logical positivism, Vienna Circle, Epistemic coherentism
Branchs:
Philosophy of science, Sociology, Political economy, Logic, pedagogy, Museology, Visual communication, Pictorial statistics
Period:
20th-century

The synopsis

Otto Neurath (10 December 1882 – 22 December 1945) was an Austrian philosopher of science, sociologist, and political economist. He is considered one of the "neglected geniuses of the twentieth century." Neurath invented the ISOTYPE method of pictorial statistics and was an innovator in museum practice. He was a leading figure of the Vienna Circle before fleeing Austria in 1934 due to political unrest. He lived in exile in the Netherlands and then Britain, continuing his international work and developing his ideas on visual communication and the unity of science. Neurath's contributions include his work on protocol statements, physicalism, and his advocacy for a unified science. He also developed radical economic ideas, including a proposal for 'in-kind' economic accounting and 'complete' socialization. His work significantly influenced later philosophers such as Willard Van Orman Quine.

The works