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Werner Heisenberg
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Physics has recently opened up vast now fields of
knowledge making it necessary for us to modify some of
‘our most basic philosophical and scientinc concepts—
the pillars of cultures and civilizations. This, says F. S.C.
Northrop in his introduction to the present volume, is
“the major event of today's and tomorrow's world
Werner Heisenberg was born in Wurzburg, Germany,
in 1901. He was educated af the universitos of Municti
and Gottingen and in, 1932 was awarded the Nobel
Prize for his work in theoretical atomic physics. He 1s,
how Director of the Max Planck Institute for Physics
‘and. Astrophysics in Munich. Author of many books,
his memories of a life in science have recently appeared
under the title Physies and Beyond Encounters and
Conversations (World Perspectives No. 23)
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‘WORLD PERSPECTIVES NO.15
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WORLD PERSPECTIVES
WERNER HEISENBERG
Physics and
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THE REVOLUTION IN MODERN SCIENCE
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WORLD PERSPECTIVES
wort runseecrivis isa plan to preset short books in a variety
of fields by the most responsible of contemporary thinkers. The
purpose isto reveal basic new trends in modern civilization, to
Interpret the creative forces at work inthe East aswell a inthe
‘West and to point to the new consciousness which can contr-
bute toa deeper understanding ofthe intertlation of man and
the universe, the individual and society, and of the values shared
by all people. wont reasrecrives represents the workd com-
‘munity of ideas in a universe of discourse, emphasising the prin-
ple of unity in mankind, of permanence within change.
Recent developments in many fields of thought have opened
‘unsuspected prospects fora deeper understanding of man'sstua
ton and for 8 proper appreciation of human values and hurnan
aspirations. These prospects, though the outcome of purely
specialized studies in limited feds require for their analysis and
synthesis a new structure and frame in which they can be ex
plore, enriched and advanced in all their aspects for the benefit
ff man and society. Sucha structure and frame itsthe endeavour
of wont ensrervs to define lading hopfully t 2 dctine
‘A Turther purpose of this Series i to attempt to overcome 2
principal ailment of humanity. namely the effects ofthe atomi-
Zatlon of knowledge produced by the overwhelming acretion of
facts which science has created; to clarify and synthesise ideas
through the depth ferilization of minds: to show from diverse
and important points of view the correlation of ideas, facts and
Yalues which are in perpetual interplay; to demonstrate the
‘character, kinship, loge and operation of the entire organism of
reality while showing the persistent interrelationshp of the
processes ofthe human mind andin the interstices of knowledge,
to reveal the inner synthesis and organic unity of life itself.
tis the thesis of wortb rensrecrves that in spite of the