A few weeks ago I visited the economics department at Rice University where, unexpectedly, I encountered a piece of the Berlin Wall. Deformed philosopher that I am, I first wondered if this experience was like stumbling on a discarded piece of Neurath's boat somewhere. But it also reminded me, of course, of the Summer and Fall of 1989 when I had just embarked on my study of international relations, economics, and political science in order to become an international diplomat or monetary official. The fall of the wall was not a live option for my distinguished professors even when speculation about unification of Germany started to appear in the newspapers. So amidst the joy, hope, and wonder of the rapidly unfolding political events, I lost confidence in the 'scientific' status of my professor's views, and I started to wonder what science is, and what a science of humans could be. It was a chance encounter on the university's budget and priority committee, with a philosophy professor, George E. Smith, that led me to the study of Isaac Newton and philosophy more generally. Looking back two and half decades I am both amazed and astounded by my subsequent career trajectory and that my fundamental interests all seem marked by the events of November 1989.
My trajectory was marked indelibly by what transpired in *December* 1989, farther east from Germany. Then I became able to read what I wanted, and, soon after that, even go where I wanted. A historical watershed for everyone across Europe, I guess.
Posted by: Marius Stan | 11/27/2014 at 05:01 AM