Understanding logical empiricism: Language engineering in Carnap's 'Logical Syntax of Language'

Two interpretations of Carnap's Logical Syntax of Language have recently emerged as promising options: the work of Thomas Ricketts describes Carnap's anti-metaphysical project, while that of Alan Richardson and Michael Friedman focuses on Carnap's interest in the logic and methodology of science. I argue that neither reading alone is a satisfactory picture of Carnap's philosophical project. What is needed is an entirely new view of Carnap, one that is able to exploit the positive points and avoid the pitfalls of the two aforementioned interpretations. I provide such an interpretation with my idea of Language Engineering, a meta-linguistic vision of Carnap's philosophy wherein the task of the philosopher is the construction and analysis of formal languages for use in various philosophical projects. Language Engineering fulfills the goals of a successful interpretation of Carnap's project and also brings with it a new way of understanding his unique versions of empiricism and logicism, as well as the principle of Tolerance.