Dimensions of Europe Lunch Lecture - Sahotra Sakar

The Legacy of the Vienna Circle

This talk reflects on the contributions of the Vienna Circle to intellectual and political life on the occasion of its centenary and assesses its relevance today. It emphasizes the political projects of its members during the Red Vienna years, then notes how it was destroyed during Austria’s Nazi years, and how the recovery of that agenda was impossible in exile in the United States during the McCarthy era. The focus is on three thinkers: Otto Neruath, Rudolf Carnap, and Edgar Zilsel. The talk puts into context the philosophy of logical empiricism and notes that its political aims have regained relevance during our current political conflicts, very similar to the situation in Europe in the 1920s.

Sahotra Sarkar is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin where he has worked since 1998. He is, most recently, the author of The Vienna Circle: The Story of Logical Empiricism (Routledge, 2024). He specializes in the philosophy and history of science besides theoretical biology and conservation science.