Physics and Whitehead

Description

Featuring discussions and dialogue by prominent scientists and philosophers, this book explores the rich interface of contemporary physics and Whitehead-inspired process thought. The contributors share the conviction that quantum physics not only corroborates many of Whitehead's philosophical theses, but is also illuminated by them. Thus, though differing in perspective or emphasis, the contributions by Geoffrey Chew, David Finkelstein, Henry Stapp and other scientists conceptually dovetail with those of Philip Clayton, Jorge Nobo, Yutaka Tanaka and other process philosophers.

Preface

Series Introduction

Part I. Physics and Whitehead

1 Introduction to Process Thought
Philip Clayton

2. Duality without Dualism
Timothy E. Eastman

3. Whitehead as Mathematical Physicist
Hank Keeton

4. Evidence for Process in the Physical World
John A. Jungerman

5. Dialogue for Part I

Part II. Order and Emergence

6. Constraints on the Origin of Coherence in Far-from-Equilibrium Chemical Systems
Joseph E. Earley Sr.

7. Whitehead's Philosophy and the Collapse of Quantum States
Shimon Malin

8. A Historical Reality That Includes Big Bang, Free Will, and Elementary Particles
Geoffrey F. Chew

9. Whiteheadian Process and Quantum Theory
Henry P. Stapp

10. Dialogue for Part II

Part III. Fundamental Processes

11. The Primacy of Asymmetry over Symmetry in Physics
Joe Rosen

12. Spacetime and Becoming: Overcoming the Contradiction Between Special Relativity and the Passage of Time
Niles Viggo Hansen

13. The Individuality of a Quantum Event: Whitehead's Epochal Theory of Time and Bohr's Framework or Complementarity
Yutaka Tanaka

14. Physical Process and Physical Law
David Ritz Finkelstein

15. Dialogue for Part III

Part IV. Metaphysics

16. Whitehead's Process Philosophy as Scientific Metaphysics
Franz G. Riffert

17. Whitehead and the Quantum Experience
Jorge Luis Nobo

18. Dialogue for Part IV

Glossary

Bibliography

Contributors

Note on Supporting Center

Index

SUNY Series in Constructive Postmodern Thought

Sujets

• Philosophy
• Philosophy of science

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791485996
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Physics and Whitehead

SUNY Series in Constructive Postmodern Thought David Ray Griffin, editor

Physics and Whitehead

Quantum, Process, and Experience

Edited by Timothy E. Eastman and Hank Keeton

State University of New York Press

Cover image:This ghostly apparition is actually an interstellar cloud caught in the process of destruction by strong radiation from the nearby star, Merope. This haunting picture of Bernard’s Nebula, located in the Pleiades, suggests the interconnectedness, openness, order, and creativity of the universe. Modern physics now understands the multi-scale coupling, interdependence, and pervasiveness of such stellar radiation and space plasmas.

Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Acknowledgment: George Herbig and Theodore Simon (Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii)

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

 2003 State University of New York

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Physics and Whitehead : quantum, process, and experience / edited by Timothy E. Eastman and Hank Keeton. p. cm. — (SUNY series in constructive postmodern thought) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5913-6 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5914-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Whitehead, Alfred North, 1861–1947 — Congresses. I. Eastman, Timothy E. II. Keeton, Hank. III. Series.

B1674.W354P48 2003 192—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2003059022

To John B. Cobb Jr.

whose encouragement and support of the dialogue between process thought and natural science made this work possible.

And in memory of scholars whose work substantially advanced the dialogue between process thought and natural science.

David Bohm ˇ MiliˇcCapek Charles Hartshorne Ivor Leclerc Victor Lowe Ilya Prigogine

(1917–1992) (1909–1997) (1897–2000) (1915–1999) (1907–1988) (1917–2003)

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Preface Series Introduction

Contents

Part I. Physics and Whitehead 1. Introduction to Process Thought Philip Clayton 2. Duality without Dualism Timothy E. Eastman 3. Whitehead as Mathematical Physicist Hank Keeton 4. Evidence for Process in the Physical World John A. Jungerman 5. Dialogue for Part I

Part II. Order and Emergence 6. Constraints on the Origin of Coherence in Far-from-Equilibrium Chemical Systems Joseph E. Earley Sr. 7. Whitehead’s Philosophy and the Collapse of Quantum States Shimon Malin 8. A Historical Reality That Includes Big Bang, Free Will, and Elementary Particles Geoffrey F. Chew

vii

ix xv

1 3

14

3

4

1

7

5

6

7

1

63

7

4

84

viii

Contents

9. Whiteheadian Process and Quantum Theory Henry P. Stapp 10. Dialogue for Part II

Part III. Fundamental Processes 11. The Primacy of Asymmetry over Symmetry in Physics Joe Rosen 12. Spacetime and Becoming: Overcoming the Contradiction Between Special Relativity and the Passage of Time Niels Viggo Hansen 13. The Individuality of a Quantum Event: Whitehead’s Epochal Theory of Time and Bohr’s Framework of Complementarity Yutaka Tanaka 14. Physical Process and Physical Law David Ritz Finkelstein 15. Dialogue for Part III

Part IV. Metaphysics 16. Whitehead’s Process Philosophy as Scientific Metaphysics Franz G. Riffert 17. Whitehead and the Quantum Experience Jorge Luis Nobo 18. Dialogue for Part IV

Glossary Bibliography Contributors Note on Supporting Center Index SUNY Series in Constructive Postmodern Thought

9

2

103

127 129

136

164

180

187

197 199

223

258

275 287 299 303 305 321

Preface

The Center for Process Studies in Claremont, California held a conference on Physics and TimeAugust 1984 with David Bohm, Ilya Prigogine, Henry in Stapp, and other leading scientists and philosophers. During that conference, a spontaneous conjunction of energies emerged from a conversation between two participants who also appear in these pages (Stapp and Keeton). Stapp pre- sented a paper on Einstein and Alfred North Whitehead, after which Keeton asked Stapp if they might collaborate on reinterpreting Whitehead’s gravita- tional theory of 1922. Stapp suggested they write a paper together and discuss the project over lunch that day. As they left the auditorium, other conference participants joined the conversation, swelling the original pair to more than 25. It was a loud and energetic session, and two more of those joining the effort that day also appear in this volume (Eastman and Tanaka). Our enthusiasm for the project of reinterpretation grew into a broad collaboration lasting nearly 10 years, including research, annual gatherings, and publications. The present vol- ume is an extension of that collaboration. In the decades preceding 1984, efforts to explore and enhance process concepts within modern scientific research had gradually accelerated (see Bibliography, especially Internet resources). In the 1940s one major work was published (Lillie), and in the 1950s three volumes appeared (Agar, Smith, Synge). The 1960s included a major investigation of Whitehead’s philosophy of science (Palter) and a study empha- sizing Whitehead’s relativity theory (Schmidt). In the next three decades the pace quickened. The 1970s saw three significant works on Whitehead and sci- ence (Fitzgerald, Fowler, Plamondon), and the 1980s had 11 major volumes, including one on mathematics (Code), one on logic (Martin), one a collection of papers from the 1984 conference mentioned above (Griffin), and a collection of papers on postmodern science (Griffin). The 1990s experienced increasing pro- ductivity and diversity in 13 major works on process thought and natural sci- ence: in the fields of biology (Birch), computer science (Henry), philosophy of science (Athern), and physics (Fagg, Jungerman, Lobl, Ranke, Shimony, Stapp, ix