Preface to the Czech Translation of my Articles
I am happy that this book presents some of my articles in Czech translation. It is certainly necessary to welcome everything that leads to better understanding between countries of the western world and eastern european countries. Moreover, I have very friendly feelings regarding Czechoslovakia, particularly the beautiful city of Prague, because from 1931 to 1935 I lived there and taught philosophy of natural science. I was proud that my appointment to Professor had the signature of the philosopher and statesman Thomas Masaryk.
Unfortunately, differences in languages are a significant hindrance to mutual understanding. Until an international language is introduced as a neutral means of communication, we are forced to use the time-consuming and difficult process of translation.
Even though philosophy is more removed from immediate practical benefits
than fields such as technology and medicine, still it seems to me that
mutual understanding about philosophical questions is particularly important
because these questions are more fundamental. They are about the general
methods of acquiring knowledge, particularly about the methods of systematic
scientific research. Philosophical views are not only important for theory,
but in the long-run they also have practical purposes. For example, achieving
a position in which all of the sciences are unified has tremendous practical
significance for human development. Inspite of the different subjects that
are studied by individual scientific disciplines, the scientific method
has the same character everywhere. There is no boundary between the "natural
sciences" and the "human sciences" that traditional philosophy proclaimed.
After all, human processes -- whether of individuals or groups -- are natural
processes. As a matter of fact, strictly scientific and exact methods are
now beginning to be used by those scientific disciplines that study human
beings and society. Such applications are beginning to be more and more
essential given the goal of developing a rational and reasonable organization
of society, namely a society that makes it impossible for one nation to
exploit another, for one class to exploit another, and that in the end
encompasses all humanity. This is still a distant goal but today we are
living in critical times. All thinking, including philosophical thinking
has to help promote this major humanitarian goal.
Los Angeles, April, 1966
Rudolf Carnap [signature]
© Translation Michael Losonsky 2000.