Carl Prantl and the history of the logic of scientific research

Abstract

Due mainly to his monumental Geschichte der Logik im Abendlande (History of logic in the West) Carl Prantl (1820-1888) was rapidly acknowledged internationally as a historian of logic. This work, however, was by no means the only result of his extremely prolific research, teaching and activity in scientific organization. Prantl produced a variety of works in the field of philosophical logic, history, philosophy, and history of philosophy. Furthermore, he was an outstanding translator of classical works. In some of these works he pursued themes found in contemporary philosophy of science and its history. Especially noteworthy in this respect is his lecture to the Bavarian Academy of Science entitled “Galileo and Kepler as logicians”, in which he briefly, but with genuine philosophical insight, analyzed the main epistemological notions operating in Galileo’s physics and Kepler’s astronomy. The main aim of this article is to make available to the Spanish reader an annotated translation of this text, and an introduction on Prantl’s work and life, so that Prantl’s valuable contribution may be appreciated to its full extent. In order to make Prantl’s text useful to current research we have updated the information on Galileo and Kepler. Finally, the reader will appreciate how significant Prantl’s approach was for the future, that is, for current studies in the history and philosophy of science