# Ernest Nagel an Rudolf Carnap und Ina Carnap, 6. März 1935 März 1935

Dear Professor and Mrs. Carnap‚

In the first place, let me thank you very warmly for the little book of your English lecturesB 1934@Philosophy and Logical Syntax, London, 1935; I am very proud to have a presentation copy. In the second place, I want to apologize for not replying to your last letter sooner. I hope you will forgive me and am sure you will understand my delay in writing. “My lady”P Nagel, Edith, geb. Haggstrom, verh. mit Ernest Nagel did come after all. She disembarked at Nice about a month ago, and for a while I thought our troubles were over and that we would be able to go through the ceremony without difficulty. Unfortunately, my divorce papers have been held up in America, and without them I could do nothing. We waited in Nice for a while, hoping they would be sent soon. But as weeks went by we became tired of waiting any longer and came down to Rome a few days ago still in an unmarried state. It is impossible for a divorcee to be married in Italy, but since nobody seems to be much interested whether one is “really” married or not, I don’t think we shall have much difficulty. I wish I had listened to your advice, and so had escaped from Nice sooner. While waiting for my divorce papers I became ill with the grippe, and that is an important reason for my not responding any earlier. We are remaining here until about the end of April, and shall then go to England via Holland. But I hope to write you again before then.

I promised to write you about the second meeting of the Wiener KreisI Schlick-Zirkel, Wiener Kreis which I was able to attend. It was not much different from the first one. SchlickP Schlick, Moritz, 1882–1936, dt.-öst. Philosoph, verh. mit Blanche Guy Schlick continued with his reply to LewisP Lewis, Clarence Irving, 1883–1964, am. Philosoph B, and ended the meeting with reading about two or three pages from a WittgensteinP Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889–1951, öst.-brit. Philosoph manuscriptB Wittgenstein, Ludwig!0@Das 1933 erwähnte Buch ???. The latter dealt with the psycho-physical problem, and of course argued that the allegedly apriori synthetic propositions about psycho-physical matters were in fact linguistic conventions when they were not empirical propositions. SchlickP Schlick, Moritz, 1882–1936, dt.-öst. Philosoph, verh. mit Blanche Guy Schlick read the manuscriptB Wittgenstein, Ludwig!0@Das 1933 erwähnte Buch ??? hastily, just to fill in the few minutes left before the meeting was to adjourn. There was next to no discussion, there really was no time for that, and I confess I found the session rather dull. The people I talked to had the impression on which I did that they would require to read W[ittgenstein]’sP Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889–1951, öst.-brit. Philosoph paperB Wittgenstein, Ludwig!0@Das 1933 erwähnte Buch ??? before making a judgment upon it. At the subsequent meeting, at which I was no longer able to be present, your Antinomien paperB 1934@„Die Antinomien und die Unvollständigkeit der Mathematik“, Monatshefte für Mathematik 41 (1), 1934, 263-284 was going to be discussed. GödelP Gödel, Kurt, 1906–1978, öst.-am. Mathematiker was to be asked to report on it and lead the discussion, and since Dr. TarskiP Tarski, Alfred, 1901–1983, poln.-am. Mathematiker und Logiker was also in Vienna I imagine I missed an exciting meeting. That’s what comes of having a private life.

I met TarskiP Tarski, Alfred, 1901–1983, poln.-am. Mathematiker und Logiker again, but he seems to have been pressed for time (he always seems to be pressed for time) and I found it difficult to talk with him. How I regret I couldn’t be in Prague and listen in on your conversations with him!

SchlickP Schlick, Moritz, 1882–1936, dt.-öst. Philosoph, verh. mit Blanche Guy Schlick did not have his reply quite finished when I left Vienna, and although I offered my services to proof-read it he did not seem to require them. But by this time it is probably in print, and I am wondering whether you will answer LewisP Lewis, Clarence Irving, 1883–1964, am. Philosoph too. If you will and need someone to look over the English (in this connection or in any other) please do not hesitate to call on me; I will quite prompt in returning the manuscripts. 🕮

I had a very interesting discussion with WaismannP Waismann, Friedrich, 1896–1959, öst.-brit. Philosoph, verh. mit Hermine Waismann, and he made clear to me the position which he and WittgensteinP Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889–1951, öst.-brit. Philosoph hold at present. But what impressed me most, I think, is the personal tragedy of the man in his utter dependence on Wittgenstein’sP Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889–1951, öst.-brit. Philosoph whims.

I have not heard from Columbia UniversityI Columbia University, New York NY again, so that I do not know what arrangements are being made for the next year. I hope at any rate that your lecture-tour is finally in order, and that your visiting the U.S. next year is no longer uncertain. If you can spare some moments from more important things, please let me know how the matter stands.

I met a young lady here who had attended the meetings in London at which HempelP Hempel, Carl Gustav, 1905–1997, dt.-am. Philosoph, verh. mit Eva Hempel, ab 1947 mit Diane Hempel and BlackP Black, Max, 1909–1988, brit.-am. Philosoph read papers. She showed me some shorthand notes of what went on, and from these and her verbal comments I judge the meeting was a huge success. But you probably have first-hand reports of the sessions.

My time is taken up with reading in the foundations of mathematics and trying to organize the lecture course I will have to give next year. There is nobody in Rome of whom I know who is interested in such things, so that I have little intellectual stimulus. But it is relatively warm, and I take occasional walks through the ancient streets. I confess, though, that I am not thrilled very much at being in the “Eternal City”, and am quite convinced now that the only form of art besides literature to which I am sensitive is music.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Mrs. CarnapP Carnap, Ina (eig. Elisabeth Maria immacul[ata] Ignatia), 1904–1964, geb. Stöger, heiratete 1933 Rudolf Carnap on the English of her letter. Of course, there are some errors, but they are forgiveable ones, and everything was clearly expressed. A few months in an English-speaking environment will make you both experts in the language. I shall close this long-winded letter with the hope that the future will turn out that way.

With warmest regards and esteem to you both‚

Sincerely yours‚
Ernest Nagel

Beste Grüße von meine BrautP Nagel, Edith, geb. Haggstrom, verh. mit Ernest Nagel.

Brief, msl., 2 Seiten, RC 029-05-14; Briefkopf: msl. c/o American Express Company  /  38 Piazza di Spagna,  /  Roma, Italy. March 6, 1935.

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