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General Life
Carl Gustav Hempel was born January 8th, 1905 in Oranienburg, Germany during the Second Reich. He attended two different universities until receiving his doctorate from the University of Berlin with his dissertation on probability theory. He went on to become a force in furthering the philosophy of science with the likes of Rudolf Carnap, with many of his works attributing facts to observable observations. He died November 9, 1997 at age 92, leaving a lasting legacy.
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Noteworthy Early Works
Escaping the rise of Hitler, Hempel fathered the "Studies in the Logic of Explanation" in 1948 with his peer Paul Oppenheim. Considered his breakout work, but had individual publications as early as 1942 and three throughout 1945. Focusing primarily on seeking to prove that observable repeatable things are what makes up true fact from mathematics to life. With works such as "Studies in the Logic of Confirmation" and "The Concept of Cognitive Significance: A Reconsideration." -
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Noteworthy Later Works
Continuing into the second half of his life, he followed up this paper with 1952's "Fundamentals of Concept Formation in Empirical Science" for the University of Chicago. With several works for the coming decades. Passionate to the end, his last personally produced work was in 1988, with “Provisos: A Problem Concerning the Inferential Function of Scientific Theories”. His last major contribution before passing away in New Jersey, at the proud age of 92. -
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Postmortem - Carrying The Legacy
With Hempel's passing, others in the field took up his work and not only released his previous works into more comprehensive collections, they went on and completed his unfinished studies throughout the first two years of the new millennium. There is no doubt that Carl's lifetime of commitment to the philosophy of science will always be celebrated. It was his years of dedication like many of his peers that allow us to grow and expand the field today. -
References For Hempel's Primary Works P1
Hempel, Carl G. “The Function of General Laws in History.” Journal of Philosophy, 1942, 39(2): 35–48. Hempel, Carl G. “Studies in the Logic of Confirmation.” Mind, 1945, 54(213): 1–26 and 54(214):97–121. Hempel, Carl G. “Geometry and Empirical Science.” American Mathematical Monthly, 1945 52(1): 7–17. Hempel, Carl G. “On the Nature of Mathematical Truth.” American Mathematical Monthly, 1945, 52(10): 543–556. -
References for Hempel's Primary Works P6
Hempel, Carl G. “Scientific Rationality: Analytic vs. Pragmatic Perspectives.” in Théodore F. Geraets (ed.), Rationality To-Day, 1979, Ottawa, Canada: The University of Ottowa Press, 46–58.
Hempel, Carl G. “Turns in the Evolution of the Problem of Induction.” Synthese, 1981, 46(3): 193–404. -
References For Hempel's Primary Works P2
Hempel, Carl G. “Problems and Changes in the Empiricist Criterion of Meaning.” Revue Internationale de Philosophie, 1950, 41(11): 41–63. Hempel, Carl G. “The Concept of Cognitive Significance: A Reconsideration.” Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1951, 80(1): 61–77. Hempel, Carl G. “Fundamentals of Concept Formation in Empirical Science.” Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952. -
References for Hempel's Primary Works P3
Hempel, Carl G. “The Theoretician’s Dilemma.” in Concepts, Theories, and the Mind-Body Problem, 1958, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp. 37–98 Hempel, Carl G. “Inductive Inconsistencies.” Synthese, 1960, 12(4): 439–469. Hempel, Carl G. “Rational Action.” Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, 1961, 35: 5–23. -
References for Hempel's Primary Works P4
Hempel, Carl G. “Deductive-Nomological vs. Statistical Explanation.” in Scientific Explanation, Space & Time, 1962, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp. 98–169. Hempel, Carl G. “Explanation in Science and in History.” in Frontiers of Science and Philosophy, 1962, Robert Garland Colodney (ed.), Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, pp. 9–33 Hempel, Carl G. “Empiricist Criteria of Cognitive Significance: Problems and Changes.” in Hempel 1965d: 101–119. -
References for Hempel's Primary Works P5
Hempel, Carl G. “Aspects of Scientific Explanation.” in Hempel 1965d: 331–496. Hempel, Carl G. Philosophy of Natural Science, 1966, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Hempel, Carl G. “Maximal Specificity and Lawlikeness in Probabilistic Explanation.” Philosophy of Science, 1968, 35(2): 116–133 Hempel, Carl G. “On the ‘Standard Conception’ of Scientific Theories.” in Theories & Methods of Physics and Psychology, 1970, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 142–163. -
References for Hempel's Primary Works P7
Hempel, Carl G. “Valuation and Objectivity in Science.” in Physics, Philosophy, and Psychoanalysis: Essays in Honor of Adolf Grunbaum, 1983, Robert S. Cohen and Larry Laudan (eds.), Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer, 73–100.