Olaf Helmer
Encyclopedia
Olaf Helmer was a German-American logic
ian and futurologist. He was a researcher at the RAND Corporation
from 1946 to 1968 and a co-founder of the Institute for the Future
.
Born in Berlin, Helmer studied mathematics and logic at the University of Berlin
. He earned his doctorate there in 1934, under direction from philosopher Hans Reichenbach
. That year he moved to London where he began a second doctorate study, on Russell's paradox
, under direction from Susan Stebbing
at the University of London
. Russell
himself was one of Helmer's examiners.
Helmer moved to the United States in 1937, first working as a research assistant to Rudolf Carnap
at the University of Chicago
, then as a teacher of mathematics.
Beginning 1944, Helmer was involved in work for the National Defense Research Council under John Williams. He would join Williams at the newly formed RAND Corporation in 1946.
Helmer's interests later turned towards forecasting and prediction. Collaborating with colleagues Norman Dalkey, and Nicholas Rescher
, his work led to the development of the DELPHI
forecasting technique.
In 1968, Helmer left RAND to co-found the Institute for the Future
. In 1973 he was appointed Professor of Futuristics at the School of Business Administration at the University of Southern California
.
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
ian and futurologist. He was a researcher at the RAND Corporation
RAND
RAND Corporation is a nonprofit global policy think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces by Douglas Aircraft Company. It is currently financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations including the healthcare industry, universities...
from 1946 to 1968 and a co-founder of the Institute for the Future
Institute for the Future
The Institute for the Future is a Palo Alto, California–based think tank established in 1968, as a spin-off from the RAND Corporation, to help organizations plan for the long-term future....
.
Born in Berlin, Helmer studied mathematics and logic at the University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
. He earned his doctorate there in 1934, under direction from philosopher Hans Reichenbach
Hans Reichenbach
Hans Reichenbach was a leading philosopher of science, educator and proponent of logical empiricism...
. That year he moved to London where he began a second doctorate study, on Russell's paradox
Russell's paradox
In the foundations of mathematics, Russell's paradox , discovered by Bertrand Russell in 1901, showed that the naive set theory created by Georg Cantor leads to a contradiction...
, under direction from Susan Stebbing
Susan Stebbing
L. Susan Stebbing was a British philosopher. She belonged to the 1930s generation of analytic philosophy, and was a founder in 1933 of the journal Analysis.-Biography:...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
himself was one of Helmer's examiners.
Helmer moved to the United States in 1937, first working as a research assistant to Rudolf Carnap
Rudolf Carnap
Rudolf Carnap was an influential German-born philosopher who was active in Europe before 1935 and in the United States thereafter. He was a major member of the Vienna Circle and an advocate of logical positivism....
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, then as a teacher of mathematics.
Beginning 1944, Helmer was involved in work for the National Defense Research Council under John Williams. He would join Williams at the newly formed RAND Corporation in 1946.
Helmer's interests later turned towards forecasting and prediction. Collaborating with colleagues Norman Dalkey, and Nicholas Rescher
Nicholas Rescher
Nicholas Rescher is an American philosopher at the University of Pittsburgh. In a productive research career extending over six decades, Rescher has established himself as a systematic philosopher of the old style and author of a system of pragmatic idealism which weaves together threads of...
, his work led to the development of the DELPHI
Delphi method
The Delphi method is a structured communication technique, originally developed as a systematic, interactive forecasting method which relies on a panel of experts.In the standard version, the experts answer questionnaires in two or more rounds...
forecasting technique.
In 1968, Helmer left RAND to co-found the Institute for the Future
Institute for the Future
The Institute for the Future is a Palo Alto, California–based think tank established in 1968, as a spin-off from the RAND Corporation, to help organizations plan for the long-term future....
. In 1973 he was appointed Professor of Futuristics at the School of Business Administration at the University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
The USC Marshall School of Business is a private research and academic institution at the University of Southern California. It is the largest of USC's 17 professional schools. The current Dean is James G. Ellis. In 1997 the school was renamed following a US$35 million donation from alumnus Gordon S...
.