Carl Gustav Hempel
Carl Gustav Hempel[edit | edit source]
Carl Gustav Hempel (January 8, 1905 – November 9, 1997) was a prominent German philosopher, recognized for his contributions to the philosophy of science. He was a central figure in the development of the logical positivist movement and is best known for his work on the scientific explanation and the hypothetico-deductive model.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
Hempel was born in Oranienburg, Germany. He studied mathematics, physics, and philosophy at the University of Göttingen, the University of Heidelberg, and the University of Berlin. During his time in Berlin, he was influenced by the work of Hans Reichenbach, a leading figure in the Berlin Circle, which was a group of philosophers and scientists advocating for logical empiricism.
Career and Contributions[edit | edit source]
Hempel emigrated to the United States in 1937 due to the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany. He held academic positions at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Chicago, Yale University, and Princeton University.
The Covering Law Model[edit | edit source]
Hempel is perhaps best known for his "covering law model" of scientific explanation, which he developed in collaboration with Paul Oppenheim. According to this model, a scientific explanation of a phenomenon involves subsuming it under general laws. This model is also known as the "deductive-nomological" (D-N) model.
The Raven Paradox[edit | edit source]
Hempel also formulated the Raven paradox, a problem in the philosophy of science that illustrates the challenges of confirmation theory. The paradox arises from the principle of confirmation theory that states that evidence confirming a generalization also confirms all instances of that generalization.
Influence and Legacy[edit | edit source]
Hempel's work has had a lasting impact on the philosophy of science, particularly in the areas of scientific explanation and confirmation theory. His ideas continue to be discussed and debated by philosophers and scientists alike.
Selected Works[edit | edit source]
- Aspects of Scientific Explanation (1965)
- Philosophy of Natural Science (1966)
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- Hempel, Carl G. Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philosophy of Science. New York: Free Press, 1965.
- Hempel, Carl G. Philosophy of Natural Science. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1966.
External Links[edit | edit source]
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