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Birth
He was born in Chirlitz-Turas, Moravia, Austrian Empire. Now Brno-Chrlice, Czech Republic -
Mach's Philosophy of Phenomenalism
He developed "an antirealist stance which regarded only sensations as real. This position seemed incompatible with the view of atoms and molecules as external, mind-independent objects. Mach’s reluctance to acknowledge the reality of atoms was criticized by many as being incompatible with physics." -
Death
Died of heart disease at the age of 78 in Munich -
Mach's Principle
He explains the phenomenon of inertia by assuming that all of the masses in the universe are somehow connected. Local inertial frames are affected by the cosmic motion and distribution of all matter. Mach’s inertial theories were named by Einstein as one of the influences for his theories of relativity. Phrase coined around 1918 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPEwkMHRjZU (More info on Mach's Principle) -
Vienna Circle Influence
His thoughts and anti-metaphysical attitude helped give rise to the verifiability theory of meaning that the Vienna Circle is famous for creating in the 1920's -
Major Works
The Science of Mechanics: A Critical and Historical Account of Its Development (1893)
The Analysis of Sensations (1897)
Popular Scientific Lectures (1895)
The Principles of Physical Optics (1926)
Knowledge and Error (1976)
Principles of the Theory of Heat (1986)