Scientific History of Metaphysics

Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz

Elhuyar Zientzia

Javier Navarro Los Arcos presented the Physics and Metaphysics project to the CAF-Elhuyar Awards. We had the opportunity to get to know the project first hand.
Scientific History of Metaphysics
01/04/2008 | Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz | Elhuyar Zientzia Komunikazioa
(Photo: Poly Photographers)
In his project he proposes a journey through history. What is the purpose of this trip?

The goal would be metaphysical. Many things fit within the metaphysical word, and in my proposal I explain the meaning that metaphysics has had throughout history. The book is divided into four chapters, in each of which four historical epochs are touched, and in each of them I expose a different metaphysics. Thus I give a dynamic, evolutionary and historical view of metaphysics.

In the title of the project you have combined Physics with Metaphysics. What is the relationship between the two?

An attempt at unknown metaphysics, an intellectual and scientific essay, and if science is not at the base of metaphysics, then it is not metaphysical. The basis of metaphysics must always be in physics and certainly in mathematics. Therefore, the relationship between metaphysics and physics is family, family.

In addition to physics, the book will also accommodate mathematics.

Yes, yes, as in all sciences. A project, an explanation, a cosmology or a metaphysics must have a mathematical basis to have a scientific basis. With a mathematical basis all the benefits of the scientific method are revealed, a complete explanation of what is known and the ability to anticipate is obtained. Mathematics is necessary because science is done with mathematics.

He mentioned that it will be based on four historical times. What times are those?

The first would be a preventive time and, more or less, would extend to Galileo. I think physics was born with Galileo.

The second chapter will be for Galileo. And the third certainly deserved Newton and is dedicated to him. Finally, the XIX. The fourth chapter is dedicated to all scientists who during the 20th century were doing metaphysics and science in general. Those scientists formed a current against Newton, and certainly deserve a place in my book like Newton.

In each epoch, in addition to the scientific aspects, I will expose other aspects, so that one can see perfectly what prejudices had to do with the thinking of each scientist and how the historical, political and economic facts influenced.

Navarro received from Begoña Arrate, winner of the award two years ago, a scholarship of 5,000 e and the sculpture of Andonegi.
Poly Photographers
Galileo and Newton are not so far in time. Did the philosophical approach change a lot?

Yes. Galileo made the first serious bets within science, metaphysics and cosmology. But within Galileo there were many prejudices, religious prejudices. For example, the idea of a double world in times of prefixes: the earthly and celestial world. Newton broke all this, stepped on. With Newton, for the first time, the earthly and celestial world were united. Almost without leaving home, he managed to give a single explanation for the two worlds. And with that, the explanation of everyone was within reach of human beings. From Newton man has managed to trust his knowledge. From Newton it is possible to understand everything or at least an important part of everything.

Then, the XIX. 20th century, period against Newton.

Yes, Newton was an extraordinary genius and surely there has been no more like him. Well, maybe there are those who think that Newton and Einstein are similar. But there is no doubt that Newton was a genius apart. But Newton also had his own prejudices and very hard.

Newton's theory lasted about 150 years and the next generations were questioned. His arguments were very serious and very reasonable. And in many things they saw it clear that Newton's metaphysics and cosmology were bad. They created a new metaphysics, the metaphysics of the fields, and Einstein was born from that current against Newton. Newton and Einstein were geniuses, but they were opposites.

XX. Will you count nothing of the century?

Very few things. XX. At the beginning of the 20th century it was once again a very critical stage, many revolutionary minds emerged, with which new physiques appeared, not the only one. I think that deserved extraordinary research. That's why my work XX. It ends in the early 20th century, and everything that happens from there deserves a new job.

Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz
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