From Introduction to Semantics, 1942 by Rudolf Carnap

"Unfortunately, the whole development of semantical investigations in Poland remained unknown to the outside world until 1936 because the pertinent publications were in Polish only."

Comment This part, prominently placed in the Introduction, implies the writer's unfamiliarity with Korzybski's Science and Sanity, Supplement III, a paper of 1931 titled A Non-Aristotelian System (etc), which contains mentions of Łukasiewicz, Tarski, Lesniewski, Chwistek, Skarzenski, or, 'the Polish school'. The body of Science and Sanity (published in 1933) also contains references to some of those workers (including Carnap's master Tarski).

For Carnap, who wrote his book in 1941-42 in Chicago, not to have known about Science and Sanity seems unlikely. Such a notion is, anyhow, contradicted by a (scanty) mention on the page 238, 'The term ['semantics'] is used by A. Korzybski   .   . (etc)

Continues Carnap : " Tarski, both through his book and in conversation, first called my attention to the fact that [etc].

Comment The conversations must have taken place between 1933 and 1941--by the dates of the publications spoken about. Did not Tarski tell Carnap that he (i. e. Tarski) was mentioned in Science and Sanity, several times (though incorrectly), as co-author of an important development ?

Next item : The full title of Korzybski's work of 1933 is Science and Sanity, An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and the General Semantics. One finds the following in Carnap's book of 1942 :

" § 15.   L[ogical]-Concepts in Special Semantics "   (page 78).

" § 16. L-Concepts in General Semantics "  (page 83).

Thus we get : Korzybski, per Carnap 1942, had used the term 'semantics', while K had in fact clearly defined his work in 1933 as 'general semantics'. Yet Carnap in 1942 proposes some 'general semantics' of his own.

From 'all this' one may be fully justified to infer the probable cause : Carnap's (and possibly Tarski's) FRAUD.

Carnap's book also omits any mentions of Jan Łukasiewicz.

WPT, 6 April 2004

 

An Additional Note

Carnap does, briefly, mention Science and Sanity on page 238. The introduction says, again : "Unfortunately, the whole development of semantical investigations in Poland remained unknown to the outside world until 1936 because the pertinent publications were in Polish only."

That statement, plainly untrue, may yet still be quoted, and anytime, by some latter-day lying socialists or the like. So far, I find the following.

Not only does Science and Sanity (1933) mentions the developments in Poland in some detail, including the most in this context pertinent work of Chwistek, but its Bibliography shows clearly that at least his (Chwistek's) work was published long time before 1936, and some time before 1933, not only in Polish but also in English and in German.

These facts could not have been unknown to Tarski (Teitelbaum), consequently, there is something decidedly wrong with Carnaps reports.

FALSE (Carnap 1942) : "the whole development . . in Poland remained unknown to the outside world until 1936 because the pertinent publications were in Polish only."

THE FACTS :

 

From Bibliography, Science and Sanity, 1933 by Alfred Korzybski

100. CHWISTEK, L.   Wielosc Rzeczywistosci,   Kraków.

101.     The Theory of Constructive Types (Principles of Logic and Mathematics),
        2 parts.   Ann. soc. polonaise de mathématique.   Kraków.   1924, 1925.

102.     Über die Hypothesen der Mengenlehre.   Math. Zeit.   B. 25, H. 3. Berlin,
        1926.

103.     Une Méthode métamathématique d'analyse.   C. R. du I^ier congrès des
        math, des pays Slaves.   Warsaw. 1929

104.     Neue Grundlagen der Logik und Mathematik, Part I. Math. Zeit. B. 30,
        H. 5. Berlin, 1929. Part II, B. 34, H. 4. Berlin.   1932.

(page 770)

Selections from Bibliography, The Nature of Mathematics, 1933 by Max Black

BROUWER, L. E. J.   "Intuitionism and Formalism" (Inaugural address at the University of Amsterdam. 1912).   Reprinted in Bulletin of American Mathematical Society, vol. xx. 1913
———   " Zur Begründung der intuitionistichen Mathematik " Mathematische Annalen, vol. xciii, p. 244.   1923.
———   " Mathematik, Wissenschaft und Sprache " : Monatshefte für Mathematik und Physik, vol. xxxi, p. 153.   1929.

[Carnap, �Des Logische Aufbau der Welt" , Berlin 1928.]

CASSIRER, E.   Philosophie der Symbolischen Formen, vol. iii.   Berlin, 1923-31.

CHWISTEK,L,   Theory of Constructive Types   Cracow, 1923.
———   " Une méthode métamathématique d'analyse " : Comptes-Rendus du Premier Congrès des Mathématiciens des Pays Slaves.   Warsaw, 1929.
———   " Neue Grundlagen der Logik und Mathematik " : Mathematische Zeitschrift.   1929 and 1932.
[end p. 211.]

LESNIEWSKI, ST.   �Grundzüge eines neuen Systems der Grundlagen der Mathematik � : Fundamenta Mathematica, pp. 1-81. [Warsaw] 1929.
{end p. 212]

 

The book by Max Black was published in the prestigious International Library of Psychology and Scientific Method series, editor C. K. Ogden, publishers Routledge & Kegan Paul in London etc.

Did not Carnap know about The Nature of Mathematics of 1933 which lists his own "Logische Aufbau" right next to Chwistek's works?