# Neurath an Carnap, Oxford, 21. September 1941 Otto Neurath an Rudolf Carnap, 21. September 1941 September 1941

My dear Carnap‚

many thanks for your congratulations. Now we are going on very well. No doubt about it. The fine loans we got from our friends enabled us to overcome the first weeks and to rebuild our office – now we have already finished our first ISOTYPE-film‚ a new type of films, on salvage for the ministry of information. Another one on Blood Transfusion is in the making – a very interesting job and fairly paid. MaryP Neurath, Marie, 1898–1986, geb. Reidemeister, auch Reidemeisterin, Mieze, MR, Mary, dt.-brit. Pädagogin und Sozialwiss., Schwester von Kurt Reidemeister, heiratete 1941 Otto Neurath likes this job too.

Our office looks already very impressive, I bought many books and got them partly rather cheap. I am reading and reading and writing. My discussion class at the University I had last term on LOGICAL EMPIRICISM AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES stimulated me to write something about the general principles of Language Making. I am sending you my articleB published by the ARISTOTELIAN SOCIETYI Aristotelian Society.a Ksl. Mit der Gesamthaltung natürlich ganz einig; aber doch allerhand Bedenken gegen einzelne Punkte.. I am very interested in your reaction and hope you will write me about it.

I am writing my EncyclopediaI Foundations of the Unity of Science MonographB Neurath, Otto!„Foundations of the Social Sciences“, Foundations of the Unity of Science 2 (1), 1944, 1–51. I think it will be an interesting chapter. I am collecting material for my book on Toleration and PersecutionB. Mankind is a sad thing, believe me that, if you should not be already convinced of this fact. We are reading many historical books. Killing and tormenting one another, that is man’s business through the centuries.

In October we shall have a Unity-of-Science conferenceI here. Various people are interested in it, in spite of the war. Prof. RussellP Russell, Leonard J., 1884–1971, brit. Philosoph will come from Birmingham. He discussed our ideas in the Aristotelian SocietyI Aristotelian Society years ago relatively well. We met him in Paris. Whether StraussP Strauss, Martin, 1907–1978, dt.-brit. Physiker und Philosoph, verh. mit Anna Strauss, WaismannP Waismann, Friedrich, 1896–1959, öst.-brit. Philosoph, verh. mit Hermine Waismann etc. will read papers, or not I do not know, because the invitations are just sent out. There is always some discussion atmosphere, PearP Pear, Tom Hatherley, 1886–1972, brit. Psychologe, the psychologist, came twice and we discussed many problems for hours. There are also younger people interested in unified science or sociology. You see, we have a nalyreason to be content. Now the problem of housing is solved too, in the beginning we had only one room, then two and now we were lucky enough to get a very small house as subtenants for some months. Sky and trees as environment, only a few houses. The bus goes from there directly to our office in the Institute of Social HistoryI (ColeP Cole, George D. H., 1889–1959, brit. Politikwissenschaftler und Ökonom, he is interested in planning and writes together with his wife detective stories, you find one of them in the Penguinb Penguine seriesI).

We have a great many acquaintances and friends in England, much more than in Holland. I read papers to students and scholars in Nottingham (London UniversityI Universität London, Educational Department), Exeter and shall read a paper in October in CambridgeI University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK. The interest in our visual education work is apparently increasing. The intellectual and emotional atmosphere is OK. If all things remain as they are it would be alright – more one cannot expect.

I am glad that you had such a good time at HarvardI Harvard University, Cambridge MA. Such is life, successively we, the opposition, become classics. Now we form a branch like others, as I learned from LAIRD’sP Laird, John, 1887–1946, brit. Philosoph Introduction into modern philosophyB.

Please, give me Tarski’sP Tarski, Alfred, 1901–1983, poln.-am. Mathematiker und Logiker address. I would appreciate it very much if you were kind enough to give me addresses of other people, too. We have to reconstruct our files. Until now we have about 200 addresses, but that is only a fraction of our original files we had at The Hague. I should be glad to have addresses of HELMERP Helmer, Olaf, 1910–2011, dt.-am. Mathematiker und Philosoph, WEINBERGP Weinberg, Julius, 1908–1971, am. Philosoph, ROUGIERP Rougier, Louis, 1889–1982, fr. Philosoph, etc.b Ksl. 496 Hudson St., NY\,/\,Dr. Julius, 359 Thurman St., Zanesville, Ohio\,/\,St. Johns College, Annapolis, Md..🕮

All our love to both of you,

with kind regards
Neurath

Poor ZilselP Zilsel, Edgar, 1891–1944, öst.-am. Philosoph und Soziologe. He had always difficulties in adapting himself to other people, I think that is connected with his stomach difficulties. I always thought of that when I was angry with him. But I know there are always problems which cannot be solved by understanding their sources. I was therefore very glad to give him a monograph in the encyclopediaI Foundations of the Unity of Science. I hope it will help him a little to get new connections.

I heardc heared KelsenP Kelsen, Hans, 1881–1973, öst.-am. Rechtswiss. got a job in the meantime– or not? Here the number of students is very reduced, as you may imagine. We are glad not to depend d uponon universities in these times. StraussP Strauss, Martin, 1907–1978, dt.-brit. Physiker und Philosoph, verh. mit Anna Strauss has now an appointment, but rather disappointing from scientific point of view.

I did not expect much for me from JohnsonP Johnson, Alvin Saunders, 1874–1971, am. Ökonom or the RockefellerI Rockefeller Foundation people, when only a general action is in question. I did not press anything in connection with the US, because we are really happy here and would be glad to remain here and to help, as far as we can, in fighting the Nazis. Here is, so to speak, the front. And even in the future. The nicest would be, to stay here and to visit the States every year for 4 or 5 months. Our experience is, that we always find a realm of our activities when we are able to execute some unusual things which are our specialities. I think, if universities should be interested in me, it would be in connection with particular problems of social sciences, unified science or visual education. But we are not essentially interested in teaching, much more in science making and preparing educational aids. RougierP Rougier, Louis, 1889–1982, fr. Philosoph is much more the man who tries to get university posts and who is adapted to this business and what is around of it, therefore it is in accordance with the harmony of the world that he will be protected and supported by official committees etc. Such is life. You cannot want to be free and independent and simultaneously to be classified as a part of the globe which has to get certain prepared jobs. JohnsonP and other people are very conventional. I am not even conventional in my studies and my attitude but not opposed to collaborate with different people. JohnsonP Johnson, Alvin Saunders, 1874–1971, am. Ökonom is at very good terms with me and I was glad that he helped us very much in our visual education activities (he is member of our American Committee) but I did not assume that he would like to have me with him in his school‚ if I did not come as a representative of a strange opinion – then he would be interested in me, but not in me as a refugee only. Many thanks that you and MorrisP Morris, Charles W., 1901–1979, am. Philosoph, verh. mit Trude Morris and other friends were busy to help me in this respect. Fortunately it was sufficient that I got the loans and that I am very pleased by your friendship, that is nectar for me, sweet drink – or soft drink, if you prefer this term, grapefruit juice or something like that – but in great quantities, too. I like things more in great quantities, as InaP Carnap, Ina (eig. Elisabeth Maria immacul[ata] Ignatia), 1904–1964, geb. Stöger, heiratete 1933 Rudolf Carnap knows.

WaismannP Waismann, Friedrich, 1896–1959, öst.-brit. Philosoph, verh. mit Hermine Waismann does now act as a substitute for a metaphysical professorship, but he is free to read what he wants. He tries to go to the US, as far as I know. I think he is here not really happy – as we are, e. g.

I am busy with reconstructing JOURNALI Journal of Unified Science and LIBRARYI Library of Unified Science here, because I want to see ENGLAND (as Europe’s representative now) in the game. Why should all business of unified science be done ine Hsl. Einschub. the US? The locality of publication is of importance. We have to rebuild Europe, do not forget it. The yellow pamphletsB Verein Ernst Mach!1929@Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung. Der Wiener Kreis, Wien, 1929 1 Verein Ernst Mach, Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung. and other things are of great value for me. I now got: Psychologie und Einheitswissenschaft B Neurath, Otto!1933@„Einheitswissenschaft und Psychologie“, = Einheitswissenschaft 1, 1933, Empirische SoziologieB Neurath, Otto!1931@Empirische Soziologie. Der wissenschaftliche Gehalt der Geschichte und Nationalökonomie, Wien, 1931, but I need: Was bedeutet rationale WirtschaftsbetrachtungB Neurath, Otto!1935@Was bedeutet rationale Wirtschaftsbetrachtung?, Wien, 1935, the history of the Viennese circleB Neurath, Otto!Le dévelopment du Cercle de Vienne et l’avenir de l’Empirisme logique (HERMANNI Verlag Hermann) in French‚c Ksl. geschickt. reprints of my articles, then books and articles by a certain Carnap.

We shall now form – as already discussed – an additional editing committee (advisory committee, or something like that) for our JOURNALI Journal of Unified Science. Then we shall invite ZILSELP Zilsel, Edgar, 1891–1944, öst.-am. Philosoph und Soziologe, of course.d Ksl. und hsl. am Seitenende Englische Übersetzung von „Abriss“ in library?.

Brief, msl., 2 Seiten, RC 102-55-17 (Dsl. RC 102-55-18 – mit ksl. Vermerk Kopie, bekommen 22. 10. 41–, weiterer Dsl. ON 222); Briefkopf: msl. 21 Old Road, Headington, Oxford und 21st September, 1941, hsl. Air Mail, ksl. Stempel 22.9., Luftpost; bekommen 2.10.; Signatur nur in Dsl.

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