POINCARÉ, Jules Henri. La Science et l'Hypothèse.
Paris: Flammarion, 1902. First edition.

In 1906 Poincaré published a more general work, La Science et I'hypothèse (Science and Hypothesis), propounding a relativistic philosophy. In philosophy he advocated a variety of pragmatism which he called "conventionalism." "One does not ask, " he said, "whether a scientific theory is true, but only whether it is convenient." He thought that mathematical logic was barren, and when he heard that antinomies had crept into the logistic system of Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead he could barely conceal his glee. "Logistic is no longer barren, " he wrote, "it engenders antinomies."

Contemporary half cloth with gilt spine lettering. A few underlinings throughout. In all a very nice copy. Small 8vo: 178x124 mm. (4),284 pp.