Otto Neurath Series

This Austrian philosopher of science, sociologist, and political economist was noted for interpreting logical-positivist thought as a basis for behaviorist social and economic theory. A leading figure of the Vienna Circle before fleeing his native country in 1934, he championed ‘the scientific attitude’ and the Unity of Science movement. He denied philosophy any value beyond its role within and for science, asserting that science itself was not a securely founded, logically fixed system of knowledge, but rather intrinsically involved uncertainty, decision, and cooperation. From this naturalistic, holistic, and pragmatist viewpoint, philosophy examines the conditions that make science possible, viewing science as a fundamentally social and historical enterprise. His interest in the social life and well-being of individuals consistently informed his views on the language, method, and unity of science, highlighting that theorizing about society is inseparable from theorizing for and within it. The topics of political economy and visual education, based on the ISOTYPE language, are concrete legacies that have regained relevance, urgency, and interest.