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Einstein, Anthropocentricity and Solipsism in Scientific Philosophy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

Joseph LaLumia
Joseph LaLumia*
Affiliation:
Hofstra University
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This paper is about the reference or denotation of the concepts and descriptions of modern physics in contrast to Galilean-Newtonian physics and some reflections therein of some widely influential misunderstandings of Einstein's empiricism.

Type
Research Article
Information
Diogenes , Volume 29 , Issue 116 , December 1981 , pp. 94 - 106
Copyright
Copyright © 1981 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie / International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP)

References

1 Galilei, G., The Assayer, in Stillman Drake's translation in Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, New York, Doubleday, 1957, pp. 273-278.

2 Berkeley, G., A. Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, in British Empirical Philosophers, ed. A.J. Ayer and Raymond Winch, Routledge and Kegan Paul, Ltd., London, 152, pp. 181-182.

3 Cf. Hume, D., A Treatise of Human Nature, in British Empirical Philoso phers, Ayer and Winch, pp. 311-352.

4 Kant, I., Critique of Pure Reason, tr. Max Müller, Macmillan, New York, 1922, pp. 20-21.

5 Mach, E., The Science of Mechanics, La Salle, Ill, Open Court, 1942 pp. 579-580. Cf. also Alexander, P., Sensationalism and Scientific Explanation, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1963, pp. 1-24.

6 Frank, P., "Einstein, Mach, and Logical Positivism", in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, ed. Paul Arthur Schilpp, Evanston, Ill. The Library of Living Philosophers, Inc., n. 272.

7 Einstein, A., Relativity: The Special and the General Theory, New York. 1961, p. 22.

8 Einstein, A., "Reply to Criticism", in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, pp. 673-674. Cf. also, ibid., pp. 678-679.

9 Einstein, A., "Autobiographical Notes", in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, p. 53.

10 Einstein A., The World As I See It, New York, Corvici and Friede, 1934, n. 34.

11 Einstein, A., "Physics and reality", Franklin Institute Journal, 1936, p. 351.

12 "Autobiographical Notes", in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, p. 21.

13 "Autobiographical Notes", ibid., p. 49.

14 See below on Einstein's empiricism in contrast to Bridgman's.

15 "Replies to Criticisms", Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, p. 683.

16 Ibid., pp. 683-684.

17 Ibid., p. 679.

18 Ibid., pp. 679-680.

19 Cf. Bridgman, P.W., "Einstein's Theories and the Operational Point of View", in Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist, pp. 335-354. Cf. also Bridgman, P.W., The Way Things Are, Cambridge, 1959, pp. 1-11, 246-248 and Bridgman, P.W., The Nature of Physical Theory, Princeton University Press, 1936, pp. 14-15.

20 Cf. Eddington. A., The Nature of the Physical World, Cambridge, 1948, and The Philosophy of Physical Science, Cambridge, 1949. Cf. also Stebbing, L. Susan, Philosophy and the Physicists, New York, Dover, 1958

21 Cf. Stebbing, L. Susan, op. cit.

22 Ayer, A. J., "The Vienna Circle" in The Revolution in Philosophy, Ayer, A. J. et al., New York, Macmillan, pp. 73-74. Cf. also Kraft, Victor, The Vienna Circle, New York 1953, pp. 3-11; also, Logical Positivism, ed. Ayer, A.J. New York, The Free Press, 1959, pp. 3-28.

23 Cf. Dingle, H., The Scientific Adventure, New York, 1953, Ch. 11; Darwin, C.G., The New Conceptions of Matter, New York, 1931, pp. 23, 81.

24 LaLumia, J., "From Science to Metaphysics and Philosophy", DIOGENES, No. 88 (Winter, 1974), pp. 18-19.

25 Bridgman, P. W., The Logic of Modern Physics, New York, Macmillan, 1949, p. 2.