Rudolf Carnap an W.V.O. Quine, 31. Mai 1935 Mai 1935

Now I have a new invitation from HarvardIHarvard University, Cambridge MA for the Summer School 1936. I need not tell you that I am very happy about it. Many thanks for this fine effect of your activity. I am enclosing a copy of the inviting letter. May I ask you some questions about it?

1. I understand that each of the two courses goes through the whole time of 6 weeks and thus contains 30 meetings. Am I right in this?

2. The letter says “meetings”, not “lectures”. Is there a difference? Does the word “meeting” imply the inclusion of discussions? or something else?

3a. As to the topics, do you suppose that the demand for the second course to be about “history of philosophy, ethics, aesthetics, etc” (what may be indicated by this “etc.”?) is meant strictly? As I am not inclined to lecture about ethics or aesthetics, I should in this case deliver a historical course, perhaps about the development of modern scientific philosophy in Europe, or such like. But of course I shall prefer systematic topics to historical ones. In my answer I have said that I shall later on make proposals concerning the topics. Do you think I could propose something like “Introduction to Philosophy” (or “ …Exact Philosophy” or “ …Scientific Phil.”)? I should be ready to deliver such a course in a rather general, not too technical way, not supposing any preliminary knowledge of logic; thus such a course would fulfil the demand of being “relatively elementary”. But might it be accepted as belonging to “history etc.”?

3b. Concerning the first course, belonging to my own field, 🕮 as the letter says, there are of course no difficulties. But at any rate your suggestions will be very valuable for me. I suppose that this course may have a somewhat more technical character. Can I presuppose here some knowledge of elementary logistic or would that restrict too much the number of possible hearers? If I can do so, I could perhaps choose “Logical Syntax of Language”. I should of course give a short survey of the elements of logistic in the first lectures; but for people who never before had heard of logistic, that would not suffice. If necessary, I could announce “Logic and Logical Syntax”; in this case I should explain a logistical language in detail and simultaneously construct and explain its syntax. – Or would you think that a subject like “The Logical Foundations of Mathematics” would find more interest? But such lectures would of course not contain much of my own.

Usually the summer term here ends about (or a little before) the middle of June. Thus in 1936 we should have to go then immediately to America. I shall consider the possibility of taking my leave here somewhat earlier in order to have in the U.S. some time for learning English, becoming acquainted with people, for leisure etc., before the courses go on.

In the meantime my letter of May 5 will have reached you.