The Crisis in Physics
Christopher Caudwell’s The Crisis in Physics is a stylish and readable analysis of the lines of connection between scientific theories and economic realities. Caudwell provides a trenchant critique of mechanism and positivism. In the words of J.B.S. Haldane, The Crisis in Physics offers a “quarry of ideas” for future philosophers: a wealth of insights and arguments that demands continuing critical reflection.

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The Crisis in Physics
Christopher Caudwell’s The Crisis in Physics is a stylish and readable analysis of the lines of connection between scientific theories and economic realities. Caudwell provides a trenchant critique of mechanism and positivism. In the words of J.B.S. Haldane, The Crisis in Physics offers a “quarry of ideas” for future philosophers: a wealth of insights and arguments that demands continuing critical reflection.

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The Crisis in Physics

The Crisis in Physics

The Crisis in Physics

The Crisis in Physics

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$29.95 
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Overview

Christopher Caudwell’s The Crisis in Physics is a stylish and readable analysis of the lines of connection between scientific theories and economic realities. Caudwell provides a trenchant critique of mechanism and positivism. In the words of J.B.S. Haldane, The Crisis in Physics offers a “quarry of ideas” for future philosophers: a wealth of insights and arguments that demands continuing critical reflection.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781786634603
Publisher: Verso Books
Publication date: 01/23/2018
Series: Radical Thinkers
Pages: 256
Product dimensions: 5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Christopher Caudwell (1907–1937) was the pen name of Christopher St John Sprigg, a self-taught polymath and active member of the Poplar Branch of the Communist Party. Caudwell was killed in action in Spain in 1937.

Table of Contents

Introduction v

Chapter I From Newton to Einstein 3

The New School in Physics

Newton's Universe

The Wave Theory of Light

The Beginning of the Crisis

Realtive and Absolute Motion

The Special Principle of Relativity

Unity and Atomicity

The General Principle of Relativity

Chapter II The World as Machine 22

Revolution and Mysticism

The Metaphysics of Science

The Economic Crisis

Matter and Mechanism

The World of Bourgeois Society

The World as Machine

The Machine as Slave

The Bourgeois as Owner

Class and World-View

The Matter

The Shattering of a World-View

The Sharing of Matter

The Wild World

World-View and Social Change

Chapter III Man As Idea 55

The Generation of Idealism

The Advance to Dialectics

The Explosion of Theory

Reality as Appearance

The Screen of Phenomena

The Re-Discovery of the Object 55

Chapter IV The Distortion of Philosophy 76

The Monopoly of Consiousness

Primitive Materialism

The Cosmic Market

God-making

Nature and the Slave-owner

Chapter V The Collapse of Determinism

The Problem of Freewill

The Principle of Indeterminism

The Sanction of Determinism

From God to Man

The Transition to Idealism

Chapter VI The Meaning of Causality 108

Causality not Determinism

The Meaning of Freedom

Spirit and Substance

The Flux of Phenomena

The Movement of Logic

Chapter VII 131

Bell and earth

Universal determinism … contradictory to causality?

Like and unlike

Time and Space

Mutually determining

Modern views: Probability (accident)

Determinism

Causality

Freedom

Iron bourgeois determinism

Freedom: Ignorance of necessity

Chapter VIII 148

Chapter IX 155

Chapter X 169

Chapter XI 193

Chapter XII 211

Index 242

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