Einstein's Space and Van Gogh's Sky: Physical Reality and Beyond

by Lawrence LeShan and Henry Margenau

Book Overview

An evaluation of the methodology and perspectives of modern science explains how discoveries in the physical sciences require and anticipate a revolutionary, philosophical interpretation of reality. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0020931808
• ISBN13: 9780020931805
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: Collier Books
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Perceive alternate realities: Varieties of human Experience

The primary matter of all things is reality, is all eternal, and neither increases nor decreases. Its parts, however, is not always arranged in the same way, but are separated and are again conjoined." Stobaeus Nature of reality: The nature of reality has been the subject for debate since Plato. The philosopher and scientist has been tantalized, while artists were mused. Physics has pioneered alternate interpretations of the 'reality' of different experiential domains, but they cannot be applied to inner experiences or meaningful behavior. "Here, constructions of reality are needed that make the data from these realms lawful, not constructions borrowed from other realms," state Margenau, a physicist and LeShan, a Psychologist, who together hold that one set of rules is insufficient as a reality measure, it is a must to have sufficient valid applicable data. A number of alternate realities must be allowed for, in order to make significant strides in science. They specify five principles: sensory realm; microcosm, too small to be sensed ; the macrocosm, too large to be even theoretically sensed ; human inner experience, and meaningful units of behavior of living things. Our organization of reality is what we observe of it and different organizations of it work best for different purposes. However, it must be organized lawfully, not whimsically; "reality is somehow there, but we alloy it into being with our consciousness". Einstein & Van Gogh: Einstein and Van Gogh represent the western genius in science and arts' cultural and philosophical milieu, that developed into precise systems that explain reality in a literal sense. Those systems evolved to satisfy a human necessity to exert an ever increasing control of the environment. The metaphysical experience was not taken into consideration, and those explanation fell short of presenting a holistic reality. In an often quoted passage, novelist and essayist Arthur Koestler wrote, "Einstein's space is no closer to reality than Van Gogh's sky. The glory of science is not a truth more absolute than the truth of Bach or Tolstoy... The scientist's discoveries impose his own order on chaos, as the composer or painter imposes his; an order that always refers to limited aspects of reality. Einstein's space is certainly closer to the world 'out there' than is Van Gogh's sky. But Van Gogh's sky is closer to our inner world. We must find ways to make these two worlds, these two visions of reality, mutually reinforcing. Artist-in-residence programs at scientific research institutions can help." (The Boston Globe, 'Science Musings' column, page C 08, 10/20/97.) Scientific Space Vs Artistic Skies: In a magical tour of human mind and consciousness you will enjoy the gliding experience on the interface of the twenty first century science and the domains of social science, arts, ethics, and parapsychology. The innovative authors of great books in their interfacing domains, brought together to create this study, b