Ernest Nagel

By B.Shepherd

  • Early Life (1901)

    Born November 16, 1901 in Nove Mesto, Prague. Immigrated to United States at age of ten and gained citizenship in 1919. Earned BS from City College of New York in 1923 and doctorate from Columbia University in 1930. “Ernest Nagel.” Ernest Nagel - New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ernest_Nagel.

  • Naturalism (1954)

    Naturalism defined as "a generalized account of the cosmic scheme and of man's place in it, as well as a logic of inquiry." Also, "the executive and causal primacy of matter in the executive order of nature" and "the manifest plurality and variety of things, of their qualities and their functions, ... [as] an irreducible feature of the universe." “Ernest Nagel.” Ernest Nagel - New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ernest_Nagel.

  • Naturalism Part 2

    Short video going over basics of naturalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCBa6ahPYaM&t=301s

  • The Structure of Science (1961)

    1961 saw the publishing of Nagel's greatest work in the form of The Structure of Science. Proposed that all sciences could be explained by the same logic and could be reduced to physical science. "Reduction" is the process by which one science or theory is absorbed into another. Placed him as one of the major figures of the logical positivist movement. “Ernest Nagel.” Ernest Nagel - New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ernest_Nagel.

  • Death (1985)

    Died from pneumonia Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City on Sept. 22, 1985. He was 83 years old when he died. “Ernest Nagel.” Ernest Nagel - New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ernest_Nagel.