Physics Needs Philosophy: Rebuilding Essential Scientific Dialogue

Resources

Books

• "Principia Philosophiae" by René Descartes - This book set up Descartes' philosophical worldview, including his epistemology and metaphysics, before delving into his physics.
• "The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" (Principia) by Isaac Newton - Newton's seminal work that laid out his laws of motion and universal gravitation.
• "Foundations of Physics" by Émilie du Châtelet - Du Châtelet's work that started with a philosophical framework and then proceeded to physics, including her commentary on Newton's Principia.
• "Leibniz's Letters" - A collection of letters from Leibniz, which contain correspondence with various individuals, including women who influenced his thought.
• "The Physicists" by Daniel Kevles - A book discussing the history of physics in the US and its specialization, particularly after World War II.
• "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene - A bestselling book that explores string theory and the search for beauty, majesty, and elegance in the universe.
• "The Einstein Paradox: The Debate of Non-locality and Incompleteness" - An academic text discussing the implications of quantum mechanics, specifically focusing on Einstein's views on non-locality and completeness.

Articles & Papers

• "Our little paper" (Einstein writing to Schrödinger) - A letter from Einstein to Schrödinger discussing the meaning of quantum mechanics and the nature of physics as a description of reality.

People Mentioned

• Aristotle - Referenced for his definitions of metaphysics and his early philosophical inquiries into nature.
• Plato - Mentioned in the context of the idea that many philosophical questions have already been asked.
• Bas van Fraassen - A philosopher of science whose definition of philosophy emphasizes asking questions in new contexts.
• Hogen Dazs - Mentioned humorously in relation to the name "van Fraassen," suggesting a European flair for marketing.
• Descartes - Referenced for his "Principia Philosophiae" and his work on epistemology and metaphysics.
• Galileo - Mentioned as part of the intellectual lineage that Descartes built upon.
• Kepler - Mentioned as part of the intellectual lineage that Descartes built upon.
• Copernicus - Mentioned as part of the intellectual lineage that Descartes built upon.
• Newton - Discussed extensively for his "Principia" and his concepts of absolute space and time.
• Hooke - Mentioned as a "natural philosopher" from an earlier era.
• Leibniz - Discussed for his development of calculus independently of Newton and his relational view of space.
• Boyle - Mentioned as a philosopher-physicist corresponding and setting up experiments in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Gassendi - Mentioned as a philosopher-physicist corresponding and setting up experiments in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Émilie du Châtelet - Highlighted for her translation and commentary on Newton's Principia and her own "Foundations of Physics."
• Voltaire - Mentioned as someone associated with du Châtelet, particularly regarding her salons.
• Hume - Mentioned as someone who corresponded with women influencing Leibniz's thought.
• Ernst Mach - A philosopher of science whose influence on Einstein is discussed, particularly his questioning of the proper goal of science.
• Pierre Duhem - Mentioned as a philosopher-physicist in the early 1900s.
• Henri Poincaré - Mentioned as a philosopher-physicist in the early 1900s.
• Lorentz - Mentioned as a philosopher-physicist in the early 1900s.
• Aquinas - Mentioned as an example of someone who had scribes to help with his writings.
• James Conant - Former president of Harvard who advocated for the inclusion of history and philosophy of science in physics programs.
• Einstein - Discussed extensively for his work, his views on philosophy, and his contributions to special relativity.
• Feynman - Mentioned for a lecture he gave on the nature of birds, relating to the measurement problem.
• Bohr - Discussed in the context of the Copenhagen interpretation and the concept of objectivity in quantum mechanics.
• Schrödinger - Mentioned for his wave mechanics and his thoughts on the departure from classical theories in quantum mechanics.
• Heisenberg - Mentioned in relation to the Helgoland conference and the development of quantum mechanics.
• Abner Shimony - A physicist with formal training in both physics and philosophy, whose reasoning in his papers is described as philosophical.

Organizations & Institutions

• CUNY City University of New York City College - The institution where Elise Crull is an associate professor of philosophy.
• The Royal Society - A scientific society that grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, fostering communities of scientists.
• The Paris Society of Scientists - A scientific society that grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, fostering communities of scientists.
• Harvard University - Mentioned in the context of James Conant's efforts to integrate philosophy of science into the physics curriculum.
• The Vienna Circle - A philosophical school that influenced American philosophy and physics.
• The Manhattan Project - Mentioned as a historical event that solidified physics as a viable career in the US.
• European Labs - Mentioned as places where young physicists are interested in studying the intersection of physics and philosophy.
• China - Mentioned as a location with labs where young physicists are interested in physics and philosophy.
• South America - Mentioned as a location with labs where young physicists are interested in physics and philosophy.

Tools & Software

• Rosetta Stone - A language learning program mentioned for its bite-sized lessons.

Websites & Online Resources

• progressive.com - Website for Progressive insurance.
• rosettastone.com/startalk - Website to claim a discount on Rosetta Stone.
• alienware.com/deals - Website for Alienware's gaming sales.
• quince.com/startalk - Website for Quince, offering free shipping and returns.
• toyota.com/bz - Website to learn more about the Toyota bZ electric vehicle.
• mcdonalds.com - Mentioned in the context of their limited-time Buffalo Ranch sauce.
• shopify.com/startalk - Website to sign up for a Shopify trial.

Other Resources

• Tap Dance - Mentioned as an alternative course taken instead of pursuing a math minor.
• Helgoland Conference - A conference held on the island of Helgoland, where Heisenberg developed his quantum mechanical ideas.
• Bell Experiments - Experiments designed to test entanglement and non-locality, discussed in the context of Nobel laureates' interpretations.
• Ads for Progressive, Rosetta Stone, Zepbound, Alienware, Quince, Toyota bZ, McDonald's, and Shopify - These are commercial advertisements within the podcast, not substantive external references for listeners to explore the episode's content.