God of the gaps and the limits of science
Academic Jon Taplin highlights this WSJ piece on quantum entanglement and the theories of French physicist Bernard d’Espagnat:
In March, the 87-year-old Frenchman won the prestigious $1.5 million Templeton Prize for years of work affirming “life’s spiritual dimension.”
Based on quantum behavior, Dr. d’Espagnat’s big idea is that science can only probe so far into what is real, and there’s a “veiled reality” that will always elude us.
Many scientists disagree. While Dr. d’Espagnat concedes that he can’t prove his theory, he argues that it’s about the notion of mystery. “The emotions you get from listening to Mozart,” he says, “are like the faint glimpses of ultimate reality we get” from quantum experiments. “I claim nothing more.”
I am not familiar with Prof. d’Espagnat’s work. Is he talking about the God of the gaps or the Popperian problem of induction?
May 7th, 2009 at 5:50 am
He won a $1.5 million prize without ever having to conduct an experiment that proves or at least supports his theory? Where do I sign up for that contest!
May 8th, 2009 at 3:41 am
Nothing new under the sun here. In other places, sure, but this is poetry about peyote trips. System signal noise.
May 9th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
People have been calling things unknowable for thousands of years. I don’t believe it.