Beyond objectivity : questioning shifting scientific paradigms in Erwin Schrödinger's thought
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Humanistic thinking played a significant role in the thought of one of modern physics' greatest figures, Erwin Schrödinger, whose work extended far beyond his famous cat experiment, for which he is now best well known (not least of which for its continual reinterpretation through popular internet memes). He was also a prolific cultural writer, whose work drew on modernist cultural themes, particularly the critique of Western scientific and objectivist thought, as refracted through his fascination with Eastern Vedic philosophy. I argue that Schrödinger's philosophical interests influenced his scientific thinking, not only in his "native" field of physics, but also in the field of biology, thereby claiming him as modernist figure moving between the "two culture" of science and the humanities. This dissertation is organized around three chapters: 1) I first demonstrate how Schrödinger argued that the debate surrounding the interpretation of quantum mechanics could be understood as a modern metaphysical crisis emerging from conceptual limitations inherent to the Western frame of scientific inquiry. 2) My next chapter explores how he further articulated his cultural criticism of Western thought by turning to a discussion of ancient Indian philosophy to challenge deep-rooted Western theoretical assumptions. 3) In my third and final chapter I argue that Schrödinger's study of ancient Indian philosophy helped shape his ideas surrounding life in the field of biology, particularly in relation to theories of genetic propagation and biological systems. Schrödinger's biological thinking inspired James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins to conduct the research that lead them to the discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2016 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Barge, Lisa Suzanne |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of German Studies. |
| Primary advisor | Berman, Russell A, 1950- |
| Thesis advisor | Berman, Russell A, 1950- |
| Thesis advisor | Dornbach, Marton, 1973- |
| Thesis advisor | Eshel, Amir |
| Advisor | Dornbach, Marton, 1973- |
| Advisor | Eshel, Amir |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Lisa Suzanne Barge. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of German Studies. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2016. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2016 by Lisa Suzanne Barge
Also listed in
Loading usage metrics...