Comments (3)

• Kenneth R Gregg

  I wonder what she must have thought of her children. Of course, Ludwig von Mises, the economist, who had become internationally famous for his writings she would have been proud of. But also his brother Richard von Mises, whose work in mathematics (primarily axiology) has remained important (and still referenced).

  Ludwig thought of Richard as a mere mathematician, but Richard's work on axiom theory still holds up quite well. They both worked on the fundamental levels of their respective fields, although they did not see eye-to-eye (I don't know what Richard's politics were), each has demonstrated his importance.

  Just a thought.
  Just Ken
  kgregglv@cox.net
  http://classicalliberalism.blogspot.com/

  Published: December 7, 2005 2:44 PM

• Dennis Sperduto

  Kenneth,

  Somewhere I believe I read that Richard von Mises's economics and politics, like those of most intellectuals of his time (and today), were interventionist, if not somewhat socialist.

  Someone please correct me if I have misspoken.

  Published: December 7, 2005 3:12 PM

• bkmarcus

  I read somewhere that Richard claimed in print "that laissez-faire policies had no scientific merit."

  He was also a positivist, which might well constitute a greater breach.

  The two brothers chose different specialties, but they both pursued philosophy of science and epistemology as foundational to their fields, and they ended up on opposite sides in their theories of knowledge.

  Of course, the source of the tension between the two brothers might have originated in preschool. At this point it's all speculation.

  Published: December 8, 2005 8:59 AM