From: Don Winterstein (dfwinterstein@msn.com)
Date: Fri Aug 29 2003 - 09:34:45 EDT
In a previous post I implied that Albert Einstein made interesting comments about the role of intuition in theoretical physics, but I was unable to locate them quickly. Well, this nagged at me until I took a second look. One of the best of those comments was easy to find, so here it is. To my knowledge this is one of Einstein's most concise and complete statements of his beliefs about theoretical physics.
From essay entitled "Principles of research":
"The supreme task of the physicist is to arrive at those universal elementary laws from which the cosmos can be built up by pure deduction. There is no logical path to these laws; only intuition, resting on sympathetic understanding of experience, can reach them. In this methodological uncertainty, one might suppose that there were any number of possible systems of theoretical physics all with an equal amount to be said for them; and this opinion is no doubt correct, theoretically. But evolution has shown that at any given moment, out of all conceivable constructions, a single one has always proved itself absolutely superior to all the rest."
These comments are from essays in Einstein's Mein Weltbild (published in English as The world as I see it).
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Winterstein
To: asa ; Robert Schneider
Cc: Maria R. Lichtmann
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 11:41 PM
Subject: Re: Intuition in science
Albert Einstein in an essay "On the method of theoretical physics" says:
"To him who is a discoverer in this field the products of his imagination appear so necessary and natural that he regards them, and would like to have them regarded by others, not as creations of thought but as given realities."
...
"We have...assigned to pure reason and experience their places in a theoretical system of physics. The structure of the system is the work of reason; the empirical contents...find their representation in the conclusions of the theory. In...such a representation lie the...justification for the...system, and especially of the concepts and fundamental principles which underlie it. These latter...are free inventions of the human intellect, which cannot be justified either by the nature of that intellect or in any other fashion a priori."
...
"The view I have just outlined of the purely fictitious character of the fundamentals of scientific theory was by no means the prevailing one in the...nineteenth century."
...
"If...this axiomatic basis of theoretical physics cannot be extracted from experience but must be freely invented, can we ever hope to find the right way? Nay more, has this right way any existence outside our illusions?"
In an essay "The problem of space" he says:
"The theorist has to set about this...task in the clear consciousness that his efforts may only...deal the death blow to his theory. The theorist who undertakes such a labor should not be carped at as 'fanciful'; on the contrary, he should be encouraged to give free reign to his fancy, for there is no other way to the goal."
These essays appear in an old book, Essays in Science, by A. Einstein, published 1934 by Philosophical Library. I recall even better quotes on the role of intuition but unfortunately was not able to find them in the time I allotted myself.
Einstein essentially says that progress in formulating scientific theory comes entirely from one's imagination and intuition, from one's directed flights of fancy. The flights of fancy nevertheless are rational when expressed, because they are mathematical in nature. But choosing where to start and how to proceed calls for intuition and guesswork.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Schneider
To: asa@calvin.edu
Cc: Maria R. Lichtmann
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 7:56 AM
Subject: Intuition in science
My wife Maria is writing a book on teaching as a contemplative activity. She is including a section of her book in which she gives examples of persons who come to insights, understandings, and discoveries using intuition and other non-rational ways of knowing. She would like to include scientists among those who exemplify this.
I told her about the German scientist who came to the insight about the chemical structure of benzine as a result of a (Jungian) dream he had about a serpent biting its tail--help me out here, who was the scientist and where might we find his story? And she knows the story of Barbara McClintock "listening" to the corn.
Also, if you can think of other examples of scientists who have had great breakthroughs as a result of intuition and flashes of insight, would you write either of us about them? And, do you know of books, articles, etc., where she could find their stories? I'll pass along to her anything posted on the list.
Thanks,
Bob Schneider
rjschn39@bellsouth.net
Maria Lichtmann
mrlicht@bellsouth.net
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