SPRINGER BRIEFS ON PIONEERS IN SCIENCE AND PRACTICE  TEXTS AND PROTOCOLS 23 Michael Drieschner Editor Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts in Philosophy Knowledge and Responsibility Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Society & Foundation SpringerBriefs on Pioneers in Science and Practice Texts and Protocols Volume 23 Series editor Hans Günter Brauch, Mosbach, Germany For furthervolumes: http://www.springer.com/series/11446 http://www.afes-press-books.de/html/SpringerBriefs_PSP.htm http://www.afes-press-books.de/html/SpringerBriefs_PSP_TP.htm Michael Drieschner Editor Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts in Philosophy 123 Knowledge and Responsibility Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Society & Foundation Editor Michael Drieschner Munich Germany ISSN 2194-3125 ISSN 2194-3133 (electronic) ISBN 978-3-319-03670-0 ISBN 978-3-319-03671-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-03671-7 Springer ChamHeidelberg New YorkDordrecht London LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2014937683 (cid:2)TheAuthor(s)2014 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpartof the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionor informationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. 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While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication,neithertheauthorsnortheeditorsnorthepublishercanacceptanylegalresponsibilityfor anyerrorsoromissionsthatmaybemade.Thepublishermakesnowarranty,expressorimplied,with respecttothematerialcontainedherein. Title photograph: Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker (1968). (cid:2) Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaftwhichgrantedpermissiontousethisphoto. Copyediting:PDDr.HansGünterBrauch,AFES-PRESSe.V.,Mosbach,Germany Printedonacid-freepaper SpringerispartofSpringerScience+BusinessMedia(www.springer.com) Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker in Leipzig (1936). (cid:2) The Weizsäcker Family represented by Dr.ElisabethRaiserwhograntedpermissiontousethisphoto Other Books on Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Published in this Book Series by Springer • Ulrich Bartosch (Ed.): Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Pioneer of Physics, Philosophy,Religion,PoliticsandPeaceResearch.SpringerBriefsonPioneers in Science and Practice No. 21. (Cham–Heidelberg–Dordrecht–London–New York: Springer-Verlag, 2015). • Michael Drieschner (Ed.): Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts in Physics. Springer Briefs on Pioneers in Science and Practice No. 22. Subseries TextsandProtocolsNo. 10(Cham–Heidelberg–Dordrecht–London–NewYork: Springer-Verlag, 2014). • Konrad Raiser (Ed.): Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts in Religion. SpringerBriefsonPioneersinScienceandPracticeNo.24.SubseriesTextsand Protocols No. 12 (Cham–Heidelberg–Dordrecht–London–New York: Springer- Verlag, 2014). • Ulrich Bartosch (Ed.): Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts on Politics andPeaceResearch.SpringerBriefsonPioneersinScienceandPracticeNo.25. Subseries Texts and Protocols No. 13 (Cham–Heidelberg–Dordrecht–London– NewYork:Springer-Verlag,2015). • See also the website on these five books with texts by Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, at: \http://afes-press-books.de/html/SpringerBriefs_PSP_C.F.v._ Weizsaecker.htm[. vii CarlFriedrichvonWeizsäcker(1940).(cid:2)TheWeizsäckerFamilyrepresentedbyDr.Elisabeth Raiserwhograntedpermissiontousethisphoto Acknowledgments and Sources TheeditorsexpressappreciationtotheCarlFriedrichvonWeizsäckerFoundation andtoDr.BrunoRedekerforthepermissiontousethetextsandtranslationsfrom thevolumesTheAmbivalenceofProgress(NewYork:ParagonHouse,1988)and The Unity of Nature (New York: Farrar-Strauss-Giroux - Macmillan, 1980). Both publishers do not list these books any more in their programme nor do they list Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker as an author. They were informed by Dr. Redeker as the representative of the bequest of Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker that the copyrights for all publications of Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker were transferred tothe CarlFriedrichvonWeizsäcker Foundation.Neither publisherreplied tothe question whether they plan new editions of the books. Therefore, the rights were retransferred to the Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Foundation, which granted permission to reprint all texts. The financial support of the Udo Keller Foundation is also gratefully acknowledged. The editor further thanks Mr. Mike Headon for language editing and Mr. Thomas Bast for IT support, as well as all colleagues of Springer pub- lishersinHeidelbergandChennaifortheireffortstoproduceagoodbook.Special thanksgotoMs.AnnHentschelforthenewtranslationsand,lastbutnotleast,to Adj.Prof.HansGünterBrauch,theeditoroftheseries,forhisinestimableconstant support. The texts of Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker in this volume were initially published in: 1. ‘‘Preliminary Epistemological Considerations’’, in: Zeit und Wissen (Munich: Hanser, 1992); Part I, Second Chapter; new translation. 2. ‘‘ADescriptionofPhysics’’:in:TheUnityofNature(NewYork:FarrarStraus Giroux,1980);translationof:DieEinheitderNatur(Munich:Hanser,1971):I,6. 3. ‘‘Time–Physics–Metaphysics’’,in:DerMenschinseinerGeschichte(Munich: Hanser, 1991), new translation. 4. ‘‘Biological Preliminaries to Logic’’, in: The Ambivalence of Progress (New York: Paragon House, 1988); translation of: Der Garten des Menschlichen (Munich: Hanser, 1977): II, 6. 5. ‘‘Models of Health and Illness, Good and Evil, Truth and Falseness’’, in: The Unity of Nature (New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1980); translation of: Die Einheit der Natur, (Munich: Hanser, 1971): III, 4. ix x AcknowledgmentsandSources 6. ‘‘Parmenides and the Greylag Goose’’, in: The Unity of Nature (New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1980); translation of: Die Einheit der Natur (Munich: Hanser, 1971): IV, 5. 7. ‘‘Parmenides and Quantum Theory’’, in: The Unity of Nature (New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1980); translation of: Die Einheit der Natur (Munich: Hanser, 1971): IV, 6. 8. ‘‘PossibilityandMovement:ANoteonAristotelianPhysics’’,in:TheUnityof Nature(NewYork:FarrarStrausGiroux,1980);translationof:DieEinheitder Natur (Munich:Hanser, 1971): IV, 4. 9. ‘‘TheRationalityofEmotions’’,in:TheAmbivalenceofProgress(NewYork: ParagonHouse,1988);translationof:DerGartendesMenschlichen(Munich: Hanser, 1977): II, 4. 10. ‘‘On Power’’, in: The Ambivalence of Progress (New York: Paragon House, 1988),translationof:DerGartendesMenschlichen(Munich:Hanser,1977):II,5. Contents 1 Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Major Texts in Philosophy—A Brief Introduction by the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . 1 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2 Preliminary Epistemological Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1 Similes for the Structure of Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.2 Cognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.3 Doubt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.4 Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 2.5 Methodological Consequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 3 A Description of Physics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 3.1 The Role of Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 3.2 An Anecdote as an Eye Catcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.3 A Historical Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3.4 Philosophy of Physics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 3.4.1 Theological Platonism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 3.4.2 The World as Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3.4.3 Empiricism as a Description of Physics. . . . . . . . . . . 36 3.4.4 Difficulties of Fundamental Empiricism . . . . . . . . . . 38 3.4.5 Scientific Perception. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 4 Time: Physics—Metaphysics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 4.1 Metaphysics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 4.2 Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 4.3 Evolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 4.4 Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 xi