Dr Faustus of Modern Physics - Department of Speech, Music and ...

Chapter 11
The Fall of Science
It is impossible to trap modern physics into predicting anything with
perfect determinism because it deals with probabilities from the outset.
(Sir Arthur Eddington (1882 - 1944) in The World of Mathematics
1956)
11.1 Causality, Determinism and Reality
We shall find evidence of violation the following basic principles of classical
physics:
• causality and determinism,
• small effect of small cause: wellposedness,
• reality of space and time.
11.2 Violation of Logic
We shall also find evidence of violation of basic principles of scientific logic
in the form of
• dressing a definition into a physical fact (Einstein’s speciality),
• confusing doublethink and doublespeak (Bohr’s speciality).
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