Holding the Hand of History : Mach On The History Of Science The Analysis Of Sensations And The Economy Of Thought

In this paper I analyze the relation of two important doctrines of Ernst Mach's epistemology --- namely the theory of the elements, exposed in The Analysis of Sensations, and the economy of thought, mainly explored in Knowledge and Error and elsewhere --- to his historical-critical approach. After discussing Erwin Hiebert's seminal work on Mach's philosophical use of the history of science, I defend the thesis that there is a more profound, structural relationship between Mach's conception of history and the antimetaphysical remarks which open The Analysis of Sensations and introduce his theory of the elements. Finally, I contend that this can provide novel insights in the doctrine of the economy of thought.