Einstein & Logical Positivists

Special Theory of Relativity (Consequence)

To keep the speed of light constant, Time must slow down and Space must shrink for a moving observer.

Michelson-Morley Experiment Result

Failed to detect the 'Aether' or any change in light speed. Proved that light speed is constant regardless of the observer's motion.

Operationalism (Bridgman)

The idea that scientific concepts must be defined strictly by the operations used to measure them (e.g., Hunger = Hours without food).

Simultaneity in Relativity

The concept that 'Now' is not universal. Two events happening at the same time for one person may happen at different times for a moving observer.

Logical Positivism (Vienna Circle)

A philosophical movement that claimed only empirically verifiable statements (Science) or logical definitions (Math) are meaningful.

Verification Principle

The rule that a statement is only meaningful if it can be proven true through sensory experience or logic.

Demarcation Criterion

The standard used to draw a line between Science (Meaningful) and Non-Science/Metaphysics (Meaningless).

Metaphysics (Positivist View)

Considered 'cognitively meaningless' or trash because it deals with concepts (God, Soul, Essence) that cannot be verified.

Analytical Statement

A statement that is true by definition or logic (e.g., 2+2=4 or 'Bachelors are unmarried'). Requires no observation.

Empirical Statement

A statement that describes the real world and must be verified by observation (e.g., 'Water boils at 100 degrees').

New Logic (Structure vs. Meaning)

The idea that logical validity depends on the mathematical structure of the sentence, not the meaning of the words (e.g., 'No Bobis are Kekere').

Russell's 'King of France' Solution

He translated the sentence into logic: '(Exists King) AND (King is Bald)'. Since 'Exists King' is False, the whole statement is False, avoiding metaphysical debates.

Instrumentalism

The view that invisible concepts (Atoms, Gravity) are useful tools for prediction, regardless of whether they 'actually' exist in reality.

Aether

The invisible 'jelly' that scientists like Maxwell thought filled space to carry light waves. Disproven by Michelson-Morley.

Auguste Comte's 3 Stages

1. Theological (Gods), 2. Metaphysical (Invisible Forces), 3. Positive (Observation/Relationships).

Comte's 'Metaphysical Stage'

The stage where people explain events using abstract essences or invisible forces (like 'Nature' or 'Gravity' as a spirit).

Carnap's Partial Definition Flaw

Defining a concept like 'Fragility' only by the test (hitting it) leaves untested objects (the vase on the shelf) undefined.

Ayer's Predictive Utility Flaw

The rule that 'anything predicting an observation is science' failed because it allowed metaphysical claims (like God) to be attached to valid predictions.

The 'Litmus Paper' Trap

An example showing how Ayer's rule failed: 'If God exists, this paper turns pink.' The prediction works, so logic accidentally validates God.

Radical Reconstructivism

The Positivist project to rewrite all sloppy scientific theories into pure, error-free Mathematical Logic.

Blue Soul Problem

The issue where a verifiable fact ('Born on Wednesday') is linked to nonsense ('Blue Soul'), making the nonsense seem scientific under loose rules.

Why Positivism Failed (Data)

We realized that totally unbiased data collection is impossible; observers always have a prior theory or prejudice.

Why Positivism Failed (Verification)

It is logically impossible to verify a universal law (e.g., 'All swans are white') because you cannot check every single case in the universe.

Two Buckets of Truth

The Positivist idea that meaningful statements must be either Analytical (Math) or Empirical (Fact). Everything else is metaphysics.

Armchair Philosophy

A derogatory term used by Positivists for the old German tradition of speculating about the world without collecting data.