Johann Goetschl

Johann Götschl (born July 14, 1939 in Leoben , Styria ) is an Austrian philosopher and science theorist. He is a retired university professor at the Karl-Franzens University in Graz .

Life

Götschl comes from a working class family in Upper Styria. After finishing school he was trained as an industrial welder from 1953 to 1956 and worked as an industrial fitter until 1964. His music teacher recognized his talent and encouraged his interest in further education. In 1964, he put the external Matura and began in the same year as a student studying philosophy and physics, which he in 1971 with the promotion of Dr. phil. has completed.

academic career

In 1971 Götschl became an assistant at the Institute for Philosophy at the Karl-Franzens University in Graz and in 1972 he became a lecturer for philosophy and philosophy of science at the Technical University of Graz . In 1978 he became scientific director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Science Research and editor of the Journal for Science Research .

In 1979 he completed his habilitation in philosophy with a special focus on the theory of science with a thesis on the structure and structure of scientific theories and in 1981 was appointed professor for philosophy and scientific theory of the natural sciences at the University of Graz.

He has also been lecturer for philosophy and philosophy of science at the Vienna University of Technology since 1995 and lecturer at the University of Vienna for sociology and psychology of technology since 1998 . Götschl is also visiting professor at Danube University Krems and honorary professor for the subject of philosophy of science at Graz University of Technology. He is a member of the commission of the joint research PhD program of Danube University Krems and Leeds Metropolitan University .

further activities

• 1987–1997 Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Styrian Research Association Joanneum Research
• since 1993 member of the editorial board of Theory and Decision Library, Series A: Philosophy and Methodology of the Social Sciences , Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht / Boston / London
• 1995–1997 Chairman of the Styrian Technical College Advisory Board for the development of technical colleges in Styria
• since 1995 member of the editorial board of Evolution and Cognition magazine
• since 1998 Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Austrian Research Center Arsenal Research, Vienna
• since May 2002 member of the Leibniz Society, Berlin.
• Chairman of the Commission for Scientific Integrity and Ethics at the Graz University of Technology
• Member of the scientific advisory board at the Department for Interactive Media and Educational Technologies at Danube University Krems
• Visiting professorships (selection): University of Colorado Boulder (1976/1984); Humboldt University (1984); TU Braunschweig (1987); University of Düsseldorf (1989); University of Minnesota (1992); New School for Social Research , New York (1996), University of Arkansas at Little Rock (2000).

Awards and memberships

(Selection)

• 1974: Theodor Körner Prize
• 2002: Member of the Leibniz Society

philosophy

Based on his main research areas:

• Philosophy and methodology of the natural sciences, especially physics
• Structure, structure and dynamics of empirical sciences
• Philosophy and methodology of the theories of evolution and self-organization
• Interdisciplinary approaches to mediate between the natural and social sciences
• Development of a general theory of reality based on the approach of hypercritical realism
• New prerequisites for knowledge generation in the knowledge society

For Götschl, the explanation of the existential and cultural significance of (especially scientific) knowledge and the recognition of the human content of science form the core of his research.

Since the unity of the sciences does not seem to be feasible, the search for the human content of scientific knowledge takes place via the heuristic thesis of the unity of knowledge . In this unity, the understanding for the inseparable togetherness of man and nature can develop. Scientific creativity and scientific knowledge - seen in the network of theory and experience - seem to contain the greatest potential for the evolution towards a more just society. Scientific knowledge cannot be separated from interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary knowledge and from philosophy, but it can be assumed that there is a continuum between science and philosophy, in which and from which the different worldviews and forms of life are formed and realized. The permanent philosophical penetration of science and technology does not yet represent the desired human content itself, but is an indispensable source of humanity gain.

At the beginning of the 21st century, people are struggling more than ever for more justifiable orientations. Informatization, cybernetization, cyberspace and the Internet can heighten both hopes and fears. Four decisive scientific revolutions of the 20th century have dramatically changed people and society: 1. Physics ( relativity theory , quantum physics , astrophysics ), 2. Genetics ( genetic engineering ), 3. Computer science, 4. Neuroscience (brain research). Central to the immediate present is the insight that the computer galaxy (as a counterpart and in contrast to the Gutenberg galaxy) is in the process of transforming the human and extra-human world into a dynamic mega-network. Is the personal identity in the process of dissolving and is being human reduced to informative-calculable data systems? Are development and humanity to be related to one another in a new way? These questions are crucial in order to arrive at a more optimistic or pessimistic assessment for the medium future.

Works

• Evolution and progress in democracies. Towards new foundations of a knowledge society. (Ed.) Dordrecht, Boston, London 2001, ISBN 978-1-4020-0063-8 .
• Interdisciplinarity and cooperation. Basis for improving cooperation between science and innovation systems. Study on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Science and Transport, typescript, Vienna 2000.
• Knowledge and humanity: Werner Leinfellner in real and virtual conversations with Johann Götschl and Franz M. Wuketits. Vienna 1998, ISBN 3-85429-163-9 .
• With passion, a sense of responsibility and a rational sense of proportion - Christoph Klauser. (Ed. Together with Herbert Nichols-Schweiger) Graz 1996.
• Revolutionary Changes in Understanding Man and Society (Scopes and Limits). (Ed.) Dordrecht, Boston, London 1995, ISBN 0-7923-3627-5 .
• Erwin Schrödinger's World View. The Dynamics of Knowledge and Reality. Dordrecht, Boston, London 1992, ISBN 0-7923-1694-0 .
• Science versus esotericism. Johann Götschl; Arnold Keyserling. Moderation Franz Kreuzer. Graz 1989, ISBN 3-900918-08-2 , ( online ).
• Challenges at the turn of the millennium: Society in transition from economy and science. (Ed.) Vienna 1986, ISBN 3-85429-056-X .
• The social democratic intellectual: analyzes, evaluations, perspectives. (Ed.) Vienna 1983, ISBN 3-85429-012-8 .
• Structure and structure of scientific theories. (phil. habilitation thesis) Graz 1979.
• Observational predicates and theoretical systems. (phil. dissertation) Graz 1971.

Web links

• Literature by and about Johann Götschl in the catalog of the German National Library
• Website of the University of Graz

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Visiting Professors 2005 - Brief CVs . Danube University Krems ; Honor for the best of the best: Honorary professorship for Johann Götschl and honorary doctorate for railway technology experts . Press release of TU Graz , September 30, 2008. Accessed March 3, 2014.
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Ottmar Ette : Alexander von Humboldt. Departure into the modern age (= contributions to Alexander von Humboldt research . Volume 21). Akademie Verlag, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-05-003602-8 , p. 296: “Johann Götschl, Prof. Dr., born 1939. Since 1978 head of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Science Research and editor of the Journal for Science Research . Theodor Körner Prize 1974. University professor since 1981 […]. "