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Carl Gustav Hempel was born 08 January 1905 outside of Berlin, Germany
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Studying philosophy, physics and mathematics at the Universities of Gottingen and Heidelberg, in 1925 he began his studying at the University of Berlin. There he came to understand that the applications of symbolic logic was of mass importance in resolving problems in philosophy. -
Hempel began studying at the University of Vienna at the suggestion of Hans Reichenbach. While there, he studied along side with Carnap, Schlick, and Waismann. These three would were member of "the Vienna Circle" who Hempel, in time, would be come a critic of the movement and work to refine it as logical empiricism.
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In 1939, Hempel made to the move to the United States. after visiting Chicago in 1937 at the University of Chicago, and again in 1939 at the City College of New York. In New York is where he found is first academic position and would eventually become a naturalized citizen.
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From 1939 to 1948 Hempel found his position to be fulfilling at the City College of New York. While there, he publishing numerous papers to include "The Function of General Laws in History"(1942) "Studies in the Logic of Confirmation" (1945), "Geometry and Empirical Science"(1945), and "The Nature of Mathematical Truth" (1945). But after nine years, he decided to start a new position at Yale University.
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In 1948 Hempel would accept a position at Yale University, where he would stay for the next seven years. -
In 1955 Hempel made the move to Princeton University. While there, his research program had taken on a new life and thrived while his influence on other philosophers increased dramatically. At Princeton, he would work along side other notable philosophical scientists such as Tomas Kuhn
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In 1965 Hempel would publish a collective work of his essays in to what has since become one of the most profound works on the philosophy of science since World War II and would eventually be referred to as the "Scholars Bible" Hempel, Carl Gustav. Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays in the Philos. of Science. Free Pr, 1965.
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In 1966 Hempel would go on to publish "Philosophy of Natural Science", a work that would dive into scientific inquiry and was more well received then "Aspects of Scientific Explanation". This publication would go on to be translated into ten different languages. Hempel, C. G. Philosophy of Natural Science. Prentice-Hall, 1966.
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Following his retirement in 1973 from Princeton University, Hempel started at the University of Pittsburgh. From 1973 to 1985 he worked on several articles which would include: "Scientific Rationality: Analytic vs. Pragmatic Perspectives" (1979) and "Turns in the Evolution of the Problem of Induction" (1981)
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In 1988 Hempel would again publish articles redefining the philosophical science community. These works would further enhance his reputation, and find him reconsidering his early positions
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Carl Gustav Hempel would die in Princeton, NJ on 09 November 1997 leaving behind a life time of knowledge and wisdom that will help define his mark on history and assist future generation to redefine what science will mean. After his death, new collections of his work would be publish in 2000 and 2001.
