Philosophy of 'As If'

Hans Vaihinger (1852–1933) was a German philosopher who founded the journal Kant-Studien and defended Jewish scholars in **** Germany. His Philosophy of 'As If' argues that we create simplified ideas or idealizations to navigate an overwhelming complex world. These ideas, when viewed as fictions, provide a more useful way to think about subjects such as mathematics, physics, law, and morality than the truth. Vaihinger's work was influential on pragmatism and anticipated the role of model-building and simulation in the human sciences. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new foreword by Michael A. Rosenthal.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 354 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Hans Vaihinger (1852–1933) was a prominent and captivating figure in German philosophy during the early 20th century. He established the renowned journal Kant-Studien, which gained widespread recognition. Despite his significant contributions, Vaihinger was often overshadowed by the burgeoning movements of phenomenology and analytical philosophy, as well as the hostility towards his work due to his defense of Jewish scholars in a Germany controlled by Nazism.

However, it is now widely acknowledged that The Philosophy of 'As If' is considered a philosophical masterpiece. Vaihinger's central argument is that in the face of an overwhelmingly complex world, we create a simpler set of ideas or idealizations to help us navigate it. When viewed as fictions, these ideas offer a more accessible and practical way to think about various subjects, ranging from mathematics and physics to law and morality, than the truth in its entirety. Even in the realm of science, Vaihinger argued that we must proceed as if a material world exists independently of perceiving subjects; in behavior, we must act as if ethical certainty were possible; and in religion, we must believe as if there were a God. He also delved into the role of fictions in the history of philosophy, tracing their origins back to the ancient Greeks and the works of Leibniz, Adam Smith, and Bentham.

The Philosophy of 'As If' exerted a profound influence on the emerging philosophical movement of pragmatism, and it was groundbreaking in its anticipation of the central role that model-building and simulation would play in the human sciences. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new foreword by Michael A. Rosenthal, which provides a fascinating and essential background to Vaihinger's life and the legacy of The Philosophy of 'As If.'

Weight: 606g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 39 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367549947
Edition number: 2 New edition