A fourth chapter of Frank's MODERN SCIENCE AND ITS PHILOSOPHY is now on my
web site:
CHAPTER 8: philosophic misinterpretations of the quantum theory
http://www.autodidactproject.org/other/frank-MSP/frank08.html
As I mentioned before, Chapter 8 deals with the mystification of quantum
theory, particularly the bogus arguments for free will and vitalism and the
misuse of Bohr's notion of complementarity. As physicists themselves are
often guilty of such mystifications, Frank provides a psychological
analysis of their motives.
Every 'crisis' situation in physics leaves and opening for the restoration
of medieval animism and spiritualistic metaphysics, as the 'grossly
material' seems to vanish, leaving space for the resurrection of the
spiritual. The pretext is the uncomfortable rupture of the 'unity of
animate and inanimate nature' that existed before. The physicist also
harbors from his upbringing the remnants of prescientific thinking.
Frank as usual resorts to the Carnapian preoccupation with descriptive
languages to neutralize ontological preoccupations, having relegated them
to the realm of non-science. Physicalistic language is the universal
language of science. One can also say that the logical empiricist
perspective separates the operational scientific content from traditional
metaphysical preoccupations, thus disallowing the constant temptation to
exploit scientific theories for idealistic metaphysical ends. Frank also
points out putative misuses of language in non-technical descriptions of
scientific theories.
An alternative to the misuse of complementarity to discuss free will is the
complementary uses of psychological and physicalistic language to describe
'free will'.
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