The logic of modern physicsBridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams)
Philosophy
The logic of modern physics
Bridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams)
Physics -- Philosophy
WHATEVER may be one's opinion as to our permanent acceptance of the
analytical details of Einstein's restricted and general theories of
relativity, there can be no doubt that through these theories physics is
permanently changed. It was a great shock to discover that classical
concepts, accepted unquestioningly, were inadequate to meet the actual
situation, and the shock of this discovery has resulted in a critical
attitude toward our whole conceptual structure which must at least in
part be permanent. Reflection on the situation after the event shows
that it should not have needed the new experimental facts which led to
relativity to convince us of the inadequacy of our previous concepts,
but that a sufficiently shrewd analysis should have prepared us for at
least the possibility of what Einstein did.
Looking now to the future, our ideas of what external nature is will
always be subject to change as we gain new experimental knowledge, but
there is a part of our attitude to nature which should not be subject to
future change, namely that part which rests on the permanent basis of
the character of our minds. It is precisely here, in an improved
understanding of our mental relations to nature, that the permanent
contribution of relativity is to be found. We should now make it our
business to understand so thoroughly the character of our permanent
mental relations to nature that another change in our attitude, such as
that due to Einstein, shall be forever impossible. It was perhaps
excusable that a revolution in mental attitude should occur once,
because after all physics is a young science, and physicists have been
very busy, but it would certainly be a reproach if such a revolution
should ever prove necessary again.
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