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Springer Biography
Between Two Worlds: Memoirs of a Philosopher-Scientist
To go through the pages of the Autobiography of Mario Bunge is to accompany him through dozens of countries and examine the intellectual, political, philosophical and scientific spheres of the last hundred years. It is an experience that oscillates between two different worlds: the different and the similar, the professional and the personal.
It is an established fact that one of his great loves was, and still is, science. He has always been dedicated to scientific work, teaching, research, and training men and women in multiple disciplines. Life lessons fall like ripe fruit from this book, bringing us closer to a concept, a philosophical idea, a scientific digression, which had since been uncovered in numerous notes, articles or books.
Bunge writes about the life experiences in this book with passion, naturalness and with a colloquial frankness, whether they be persecutions, banishment, imprisonment, successes, would-be losses, emotions, relationships, debates, impressions or opinions about people or things.
In his pages we pass by the people with whom he shared a fruitful century of achievements and incredible depths of thought. Everything is remembered with sincerity and humor.
This autobiography is, in truth, Bunge on Bunge, sharing everything that passes through the sieve of his memory, as he would say.
Mario's many grandchildren are a testament to his proud standing as a family man, and at the age of 96 he gives us a book for everyone: for those who value the memories that hold the trauma of his life as well as for those who share his passion for science and culture. Also, perhaps, for some with whom he has had disagreements or controversy, for he still deserves recognition for being a staunch defender of his convictions.
It is an established fact that one of his great loves was, and still is, science. He has always been dedicated to scientific work, teaching, research, and training men and women in multiple disciplines. Life lessons fall like ripe fruit from this book, bringing us closer to a concept, a philosophical idea, a scientific digression, which had since been uncovered in numerous notes, articles or books.
Bunge writes about the life experiences in this book with passion, naturalness and with a colloquial frankness, whether they be persecutions, banishment, imprisonment, successes, would-be losses, emotions, relationships, debates, impressions or opinions about people or things.
In his pages we pass by the people with whom he shared a fruitful century of achievements and incredible depths of thought. Everything is remembered with sincerity and humor.
This autobiography is, in truth, Bunge on Bunge, sharing everything that passes through the sieve of his memory, as he would say.
Mario's many grandchildren are a testament to his proud standing as a family man, and at the age of 96 he gives us a book for everyone: for those who value the memories that hold the trauma of his life as well as for those who share his passion for science and culture. Also, perhaps, for some with whom he has had disagreements or controversy, for he still deserves recognition for being a staunch defender of his convictions.
- GenresPhilosophyScience
514 pages, Hardcover
Published May 11, 2016
2 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Mario Bunge
168 books134 followersMario Augusto Bunge fue un físico, filósofo, epistemólogo y humanista argentino; Bunge por encima de todo fue un filósofo materialista, defensor del realismo científico y de la filosofía exacta. Fue conocido por expresar públicamente su postura contraria a las pseudociencias, entre las que incluye al psicoanálisis, la praxeología, la homeopatía, la microeconomía neoclásica (u ortodoxa) entre otras, además de sus críticas contra corrientes filosóficas como el existencialismo (y, especialmente, la obra de Martin Heidegger), la fenomenología, el posmodernismo, la hermenéutica, y el feminismo filosófico.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 9, 2023
Based on a review in the Skeptical Inquirer , I suggested this book to the Ottawa Public Library, so I thought I should take it out and read it myself.
Between Two Worlds: Memoirs of a Philosopher-Scientist
is the memoir of Argentine-Canadian physicist and philosopher Mario Bunge, who died in 2020 at the age of 100. The book covers not only the events of Bunge's life but also his philosophical and scientific thoughts and accomplishments. As well, Bunge provides a candid view of the work of colleagues and rivals.
The book is interesting, but is not an easy read. The early sections focus on the events of Bunge's youth and education. Bunge's youth in Argentina was vastly different from the typical North American experience, even for the generation previous to my own. He grew up on a small country estate. His parents were both from German immigrant families, and while they weren't overly wealthy, his father was acquainted with many influential people. Many of these people visited the estate, giving young Mario social contacts that would be useful later on. As well, his life as a teen and young adult was subject to the effects of political upheavals in Argentina and elsewhere.
As a child, Mario was largely home-schooled or had tutors. Options for high school and university were largely left to him, and he seems to have chosen the more rigorous learning environments. In particular, he had the opportunity to study and read in many languages, which certainly helped him later as he left Argentina, eventually becoming a citizen of the world.
During his university studies, Mario and some fellow students founded a night school to help working class people further their education. It would have taken audacity and self-confidence to take on operating a school while continuing to study oneself. As well, it attracted attention and caused some political difficulties later for the student founders.
Bunge earned a PhD in mathematical physics at Universidad Nacional de La Plata in 1952. His teaching and research areas for his academic career eventually spanned a much broader range of disciplines, including theoretical physics, epistemology, philosophy of science and technology, philosophy of mind, values and ethics, and metaphysics.
Eventually, the political situation in Argentina forced Bunge to leave, at first temporarily, and later permanently. He held several university positions in various countries before ending up in Canada at the Department of Philosophy at McGill University.
In the later chapters, Bunge alternates between sharing his academic thought in physics and philosophy and providing a memoir of his travels, his collaborations, and his family life. He lived through some fundamental changes in science and technology as well as some dramatic political events in his country of origin. His story of the impact of those experiences on his research and philosophical thought was impressive to say the least.
The book is interesting, but is not an easy read. The early sections focus on the events of Bunge's youth and education. Bunge's youth in Argentina was vastly different from the typical North American experience, even for the generation previous to my own. He grew up on a small country estate. His parents were both from German immigrant families, and while they weren't overly wealthy, his father was acquainted with many influential people. Many of these people visited the estate, giving young Mario social contacts that would be useful later on. As well, his life as a teen and young adult was subject to the effects of political upheavals in Argentina and elsewhere.
As a child, Mario was largely home-schooled or had tutors. Options for high school and university were largely left to him, and he seems to have chosen the more rigorous learning environments. In particular, he had the opportunity to study and read in many languages, which certainly helped him later as he left Argentina, eventually becoming a citizen of the world.
During his university studies, Mario and some fellow students founded a night school to help working class people further their education. It would have taken audacity and self-confidence to take on operating a school while continuing to study oneself. As well, it attracted attention and caused some political difficulties later for the student founders.
Bunge earned a PhD in mathematical physics at Universidad Nacional de La Plata in 1952. His teaching and research areas for his academic career eventually spanned a much broader range of disciplines, including theoretical physics, epistemology, philosophy of science and technology, philosophy of mind, values and ethics, and metaphysics.
Eventually, the political situation in Argentina forced Bunge to leave, at first temporarily, and later permanently. He held several university positions in various countries before ending up in Canada at the Department of Philosophy at McGill University.
In the later chapters, Bunge alternates between sharing his academic thought in physics and philosophy and providing a memoir of his travels, his collaborations, and his family life. He lived through some fundamental changes in science and technology as well as some dramatic political events in his country of origin. His story of the impact of those experiences on his research and philosophical thought was impressive to say the least.
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