30-05-2024
“The Big Questions come in bundles, not one at time.”
Interviewing Mario Bunge - philosopher and physicistIn the summer of 2013, I had the opportunity to interview Mario Bunge about his realistic philosophy and its background using a comprehensive set of questions. The interview was conducted as email correspondence over several weeks: https://a-g-i-l.de/mario-bunge-the-big-questions-come-in-bundles-not-one-at-time/Below you can hear the "question and answer game" spoken by Eleven Labs voices in 2024.Enjoying reading his books and philosophical inquiries for years it was a big pleasure and even a greater honor to interview Mario Bunge.Those who are not familiar with Bunge's work, will be interested to read a short and incisive characterization. - Bernulf Kanitscheider – a renowned German philosopher of science - once highlighted the importance of Bunge's philosophy impressively by using some metaphors:Mario Augusto Bunge is one of the few extraordinary personalities who have managed “to essentially shape the intellectual geography of an era of science”. Mario Bunge is a member of the small circle of important philosophers of science whose works have become “milestones in the life of the spiritual landscape of world philosophy”.With the help of my interview I try to give an impression of what Bunge once was pointing at when he wrote about philosophical problems:“The Big Questions come in bundles, not one at time.” Mario Augusto Bunge's Background:Born in Buenos Aires in 1919, Professor Mario Bunge earned his doctorate in physico-mathematical sciences from the National University of La Plata in Argentina, and has been a professor of theoretical physics and of philosophy. He joined McGill University in 1966, was given a named chair, and was recently made an emeritus professor. He has also been a visiting professor in numerous countries including the USA, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, and Australia. Professor Bunge holds 19 honorary doctorates and four honorary professorships, is a member of four academies and a Prince of Asturias laureate, and ranks Number 43 in the AAAS' Science Hall of Fame. He has authored over 400 papers and more than 80 books on quantum theory, philosophy of science, semantics, epistemology, ontology, ethics, political philosophy, and science policy.