A Philosopher in the Lab. Carl Stumpf on Philosophy and Experimental Sciences

This essay deals with the relationship between philosophy and ex- perimental sciences in Carl Stumpf’s epistemology. A student of both Brentano and Lotze, Stumpf also gained scientific training with the physicist Wilhelm Weber in Göttingen. His double skill set in the fields of philosophy and ex- perimental sciences made his position within the German thought of his time very unusual. Stumpf’s works range from philosophy and phenomenology to experimental investigations into the field of psychology (especially acoustic and musical phenomena, child psychology, animal psychology, psychology of genius). Moreover, he wrote about mathematics, physical acoustics, phonetics and ethnomusicology. Consistent with his personal inclination towards the ascertainment of factual truths by means of experiments, Stumpf claimed his epistemological writings that philosophy should work hand-in-hand with scientific practice.