Science: Sociologist Hans Albert has died at the age of 102

Mannheim (dpa) The famous scientific theorist in Mannheim, Hans Albert, has died, as his son announced. Albert died on Tuesday at the age of 102. He was considered a pioneer of critical rationalism, a scientific way of thinking characterized by constant critical and experimental testing of theories. The goal is to get closer to the truth. Albert was in line with Max Weber and Karl Popper He is internationally considered one of the most important representatives of his field.

According to the University of Mannheim, he received honorary doctorates from the universities of Linz, Athens, Kassel, Graz and Klagenfurt for his scientific work. According to his son, he was also an elected member of the Academia Europeea and the Academia delle Scienze di Torino. In 2008, he was awarded the Federal Order of Merit, First Class.

The Cologne native held the chair of sociology and scientific studies at the University of Mannheim for more than a quarter of a century. Despite several calls to other universities, Albert remained at the University of Mannheim until his retirement.

During this time the “Treatise on Critical Reason” was published – one of the standard works on epistemology and science. He was also involved in the so-called “positivist dispute” over the methods and goals of the social sciences, siding with Karl Popper against Theodor Adorno and Jürgen Habermas. Albert advocated science free of judgement.

As an offshoot of the Giordano Bruno Foundation, an institute of the same name was created in 2020 on the occasion of Albert’s 99th birthday. This aims to promote critical and rational thinking in politics, society and the economy – also against the backdrop of fake news and conspiracy theories.

Albert was a widower with three sons, two of whom went on to university careers. The third is a tap dancer and thus took up one of his father’s previous hobbies: dancing.

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