Quantum Mechanics as a Basis for Philosophy
Abstract
Biologists have as yet taken but little cognizance of the revolution in human thought which has been inaugurated by physicists in the last five years, and philosophers have stressed its negative rather than its positive side.
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Haldane argued that at the molecular level, life differs from inanimate matter in that it can be influenced on the macroscale by single events at the quantum level.
“He clarifies his position by arguing that, at the molecular level, life differs from inanimate matter in that it can be influenced on the macroscale by single events at the quantum level,”
From The origins of quantum biology (2018) · cites this paper as [29]
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The origins of quantum biology
McFadden, J., & Al-Khalili, J. (2018) · Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences · doi:10.1098/rspa.2018.0674 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
“[29, p. 82] By the closing years of the 1930s, a number of highly influential scientists on both sides of the Atlantic were examining the implications of the ‘new physics’ for biology, driven by a growing mechanistic picture of biology at the smallest scales, but under the umbrella of organicism.”
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Blutner, R., & Hochnadel, E. (2009) · Cognitive Systems Research · doi:10.1016/j.cogsys.2009.12.002 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
“Haldane can be seen as one of the first researchers who realized that quantum mechanics is linked to living systems and thought; cf. Sultan Tarlaci (e.g. 2003). In his important paper Haldane (1934) points out that many characteristics of mind are comparable to those of atomic particles: both arise from dynamical syst…”
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Pirie, N. W. (1966) · Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society · doi:10.1098/rsbm.1966.0010 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
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Kong, O. C. W. (2022) · Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A · doi:10.1016/j.shpsa.2022.02.002 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“It is of interested to note that in 1934, Haldane (1934) spoke against quantum mechanics as a “refutation of materialism”, calling it “a refutation of . . . . . . spatialism”.”
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Masani, P. R. (1992) · Kybernetes · doi:10.1108/eb005931 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“His papers[29, 30] (the second in response to Haldane's[31]), and his endorsement of Leibnizian monadology, the calculus ratiocinator and machina ratiocinatrix[28, pp.”
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Andrew, A. M. (1997) · Kybernetes · doi:10.1108/03684929710163155 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“It is interesting to note that quantum mechanics was linked to living systems and thought, and hence to brain science, in an early paper by Haldane (1934) which aroused the interest of Wiener (1934), as related by Masani (1990).”
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“In one of his papers, Haldane (1934) points out that many characteristics of mind are comparable to those of atomic particles: both arise from dynamical systems, both exhibit a continuity and wholeness, both are at once localized yet spatially diffused.”
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- Authors
- Haldane, J. B. S.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Haldane, J. B. S.
- Venue
- Philosophy of Science
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1934-01
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 78-98
- ISSN
- 0031-8248 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-767X
- OpenAlex
- W2000706804
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Philosophy of Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum Mechanics and Applications
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy, Science, and History
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Keywords
- quantum mechanics, philosophy of physics, philosophy of biology, scientific revolution
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