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Beyond the Atom

The Philosophical Thought of Wolfgang Pauli

  • Book
  • © 1988

Overview

Authors:
  1. Kalervo V. Laurikainen

    1. Department of High-Energy Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 17, Finland

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XIX
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  2. Introduction

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 1-12

  3. Positivism and Realism

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 13-23

  4. The Reality of Opposites

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 24-36

  5. The Metaphysical Roots of Science

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 37-49

  6. Spirit and Matter

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 50-64

  7. The Limits of Knowledge

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 67-87

  8. Mysticism

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 88-104

  9. The Problem of Evil

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 105-124

  10. Quaternity

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 125-139

  11. Transcendental Reality

    • Kalervo V. Laurikainen
    Pages 140-154

  12. Back Matter

    Pages 155-234
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Keywords

About this book

The Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli (1900-1958) was often called the conscience of physics. He was famous for his sharp and critical mind which made him a central figure among the founders of quantum physics. He also was an outstanding philosopher, especially interested in finding a new conception of reality and of causality. A careful study of the original sources of the past culminated in his study of Kepler and of medieval symbolism, a concept that played a central role in his discussion with Carl Jung on what they called the psycho-physical problem. Pauli considered the sharp distinctions between knowledge and faith and between spirit and matter as dangerous. He thought they should complement each other in our comprehension of reality. Professor Laurikainen here for the first time describes Pauli's ideas in detail. His book is based on the large and as yet unpublished correspondence between Pauli and M. Fierz. Its careful analysis adds depth and clarity to the few publications by Pauli on philosophical problems and explains why Pauli grasped the meaning of atomic theory more deeply than even Niels Bohr himself. The book should interest both philosophers and physicists and should encourage further studies on Pauli the humanist and his contribution to our understanding of reality.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of High-Energy Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 17, Finland

    Kalervo V. Laurikainen

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Beyond the Atom

  • Book Subtitle: The Philosophical Thought of Wolfgang Pauli

  • Authors: Kalervo V. Laurikainen

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73852-4

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1988

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-540-19456-9Published: 23 November 1988

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-73852-4Published: 06 December 2012

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIX, 234

  • Additional Information: Title of the original Finnish edition: Kirjapaja, Atomien Tuolla Puolen, 1985

  • Topics: History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Library Science

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