Bernard Bolzano: Band III,5,2: Briefwechsel mit verschiedenen Briefpartnern 1801–1848

Volume III.5.2 concludes the ›Correspondence Series‹ within the complete edition of Bolzano’s works (Bolzano Gesamtausgabe). Hence the volume presents a less uniform picture than earlier volumes in this series, both in terms of Bolzano’s epistolary partners and the topics covered. His letters to Anna Hoffmann’s granddaughter and to the sickly Rosalie von Neupauer show Bolzano’s affection towards children and young people. Tensions in their parental home are revealed in the letters to and from Bolzano’s brother Peter and in his five letters to Eduard von Badenfeld, questions about aesthetics, ethics, and metaphysics are discussed. One letter sent from Anton Slivka von Sliwitz is of particular scholarly importance. It contains different formulas of the probability theory that examine the reliability level of historical statements which were confirmed by witnesses (for Bolzano, reports of miracles were especially important). This concluding volume of the correspondence series hence offers precious information about both Bolzano’s life and scientific work.