Pluralism and anarchism in quantum physics: Paul Feyerabend's writings on quantum physics in relation to his general philosophy of science |
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| Authors: | Marij van Strien |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Macquarie University, Department of Philosophy, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia;2. The University of Sydney, Department of Philosophy, Unit for the History and Philosophy of Science & Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;1. Rheumatology and clinical immunology, spedali civili, and department of clinical and experimental sciences, university of Brescia, Brescia, Italy;2. Radcliffe department of medicine, university of Oxford, John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom;3. NIHR Oxford biomedical research centre, John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom;4. Musculoskeletal research unit, university of Bristol, learning and research building, Southmead hospital, Bristol. BS10 5NB;5. Rheumazentrum ruhrgebiet, Herne, and Ruhr-university Bochum, Germany;6. Rheumatology and clinical immunology, AUMC location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;7. Sorbonne université, institut Pierre-Louis d’épidémiologie et de santé publique, Inserm UMR S1136, 75013 Paris France;8. Department of rheumatology, AP–HP, Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, 75013 Paris, France;9. Nuffield department of orthopaedics, rheumatology and musculoskeletal sciences, university of Oxford, Oxford, UK |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
This paper aims to show that the development of Feyerabend's philosophical ideas in the 1950s and 1960s largely took place in the context of debates on quantum mechanics.In particular, he developed his influential arguments for pluralism in science in discussions with the quantum physicist David Bohm, who had developed an alternative approach to quantum physics which (in Feyerabend's perception) was met with a dogmatic dismissal by some of the leading quantum physicists. I argue that Feyerabend's arguments for theoretical pluralism and for challenging established theories were connected to his objections to the dogmatism and conservatism he observed in quantum physics.However, as Feyerabend gained insight into the physical details and historical complexities which led to the development of quantum mechanics, he gradually became more modest in his criticisms. His writings on quantum mechanics especially engaged with Niels Bohr; initially, he was critical of Bohr's work in quantum mechanics, but in the late 1960s, he completely withdrew his criticism and even praised Bohr as a model scientist. He became convinced that however puzzling quantum mechanics seemed, it was methodologically unobjectionable – and this was crucial for his move towards ‘anarchism’ in philosophy of science. |
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