Philosophy of Nature and Quantum Physics

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleФилософия природы и квантовая физика
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Modern physics :QM - History and philosophy of science
6. Publication date 19-10-2018
7. lemma work Кирьянов, Димитрий [Author]. Философия природы и квантовая физика
8. lemma manifestations Сайт Выпускников Тобольской Духовной Семинарии
9. Keywords Aristotle - Copernicus - Galilei, Galileo (1564-1642) - quantum physics - philosophy of nature
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>Кирьянов, Димитрий (2007). Философия природы и квантовая физика. Сайт Выпускников Тобольской Духовной Семинарии. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.tds.net.ru/index.php/apologetika/131-filosofiya-prirody-i-kvantovaya-fizika">http://www.tds.net.ru/index.php/apologetika/131-filosofiya-prirody-i-kvantovaya-fizika</a> </p>
12. Lemma body

    1. The author, a priest and professor at the Tobolsk theological seminary, argues that it is possible to apply the Aristotelian philosophy of nature to understand modern science, pointing out that quantum mechanics in particular requires an adequate philosophical interpretation. He stresses that historically, science and philosophy of nature were very closely connected. However, with the development of modern science, the Aristotelian picture of the universe, which at the time dominated European philosophy, began to crumble. Discoveries by Copernicus and Galileo showed that Aristotle’s cosmological system was incorrect. Since Aristotle’s physics was associated with his philosophy of nature, scientists rejected both. They began to believe that all processes in the world could be expressed exclusively in mathematical formulas. Philosophers also questioned Aristotle’s philosophy of nature and decided that it could not provide objective knowledge of material reality.

       However, with the rapid development of theoretical physics in the 20th century, including the discovery of quantum energy, the theory of relativity, and the birth of quantum physics, the classical theories of space and determinism were challenged. The realization of the limitations of scientific knowledge brought about a revival in the philosophy of nature. Researcher Michael Dodds posited that it was necessary to return to the Aristotelian paradigms of prime matter and substantial form. 

       The author remarks that the atomic theory was developed within a materialistic mechanistic philosophy. However, he believes that physics does not have to adhere to a materialistic worldview as the data of modern science are more consistent with Plato and Aristotle than with Democritus and Leucippus. Modern science points out that the atomic structure is not the deepest layer of things and does not determine their essence. This idea was expressed by Aristotle in his notion of prime matter. The philosopher saw it not as a reality in itself, but as an opportunity, a "potency" which can be realized in the material world. According to Aristotle, matter is not substance, like air, water, fire or even space; it is that "something" which can acquire a certain form and thus become an actual thing. German physicist Werner Heisenberg called Aristotle’s prime matter “energy”; other scientists see it as pure potentiality.

       The author concludes that Aristotle’s philosophy of nature and its categories are applicable to modern science as they provide an ontological basis for the existence of the whole and thus facilitate the understanding of quantum physics.