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Open or Closed? Dirac, Heisenberg, and the Relation between Classical and Quantum Mechanics

Bokulich, Alisa (2004) Open or Closed? Dirac, Heisenberg, and the Relation between Classical and Quantum Mechanics. [Preprint]

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    Abstract

    This paper describes a long-standing, though little-known, debate between Paul Dirac and Werner Heisenberg over the nature of scientific methodology, theory change, and intertheoretic relations. Following Heisenberg’s terminology, their disagreements can be summarized as a debate over whether the classical and quantum theories are “open” or “closed.” A close examination of this debate sheds new light on the philosophical views of two of the great founders of quantum theory.

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    Item Type: Preprint
    Additional Information: This paper is forthcoming in Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics (2004) 35 (3).
    Keywords: Heisenberg; Dirac; Classical mechanics; Quantum mechanics; Closed theory; Intertheoretic relations; reductionism; Kuhn; theory change
    Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
    General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
    General Issues > Theory Change
    Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
    Depositing User: Alisa Bokulich
    Date Deposited: 13 Feb 2004
    Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 11:12
    Item ID: 1614
    URI: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/1614

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