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13 - The Case for Mach’s Neutral Monism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2021

By
Erik C. Banks
Edited by
John Preston
John Preston
Affiliation:
University of Reading
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Summary

Although the received view of Ernst Mach comported well with Mach’s historical influence on members of the Vienna Circle , it is inadequate, and it is now giving way to a more realistic and nuanced ‘neutral monist’ view. I defend the neutral monist tradition and show that it is actually a form of scientific realism, not positivism. I also argue that it is more in line with Mach’s contemporary reception, and that it leads to the views of American Realists, as well as to the views of our contemporary neutral monists. I start with a characterisation of some tenets of neutral monism in general, many of which were shared by William James and Bertrand Russell, both deeply influenced by Mach. I then detail the evidence for these views in Mach’s texts (including his notebooks and other documents). Seeing Mach as a kind of realist also casts much light on his scientific views and corrects a number of historical misconceptions regarding both atomism and Mach’s philosophy of space and time. Finally, I discuss Mach’s place in the neutral monist movement of James, Russell, and the American Realists, and the revival of these views in recent philosophy of mind.

Keywords

Ernst MachNeutral monismScientific realismAmerican RealistsWilliam JamesBertrand Russell
Type
Chapter
Information
Interpreting Mach
Critical Essays
 , pp. 258 - 279
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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