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In simple terms and with little scientific or philosophical jargon, this is an examination of some of the philosophical implications of quantum theory. In particular, the Copenhagen interpretation of Bohr and Heisenberg is systematically explored revealing its neo-Kantian and anti-realist features. As Bohr said: Natural Science is not nature itself but part of a relation between man and nature, and therefore is dependant on man. In addition, the physical theories of de Broglie and Bohm are contextualized within the philosophical ideas of Bergson, Deleuze, Kant and Whitehead. In particular, Whitehead s idea of the Melodic Metaphor as an embrace of the matter wave model is seen as a new Music of the Spheres. Finally, the notion of aesthetic beauty in scientific theory is examined in some depth, revealing it to be an important criterion for judging the validity of theoretical constructs.
About the author
Gary Nickard is a Clinical Associate Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo. An installation and time-based media artist, he is committed to exploring the interstices between art and literature through an engagement with such diverse topics as natural science, philosophy, psychoanalysis and various historical knowledge systems.
