From Certainty to Uncertainty: The Story of Science and Ideas in the Twentieth Century
by F. David Peat
F. David Peat's "From Certainty to Uncertainty" explores the profound shift in scientific thought during the 20th century, moving away from a deterministic and objective understanding of the universe. A central theme is the inherent interconnectedness between observer and observed, particularly in the quantum realm. Scientific inquiry, once conceived as detached and neutral, is revealed to be an active process that inevitably disturbs the very phenomena it seeks to understand. This inescapable disturbance, exemplified by the "shadow" of the observer, challenges the traditional notion of scientific objectivity. The book argues that knowledge acquisition is not a passive reception of an external reality, but rather a dynamic interaction where the act of observation fundamentally shapes the perceived world. This redefines the nature of scientific truth, emphasizing the subjective element woven into our understanding of the cosmos.
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Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from From Certainty to Uncertainty: The Story of Science and Ideas in the Twentieth Century:
..every time scientists try to observe the quantum world they disturb it. And because at least one quantum of energy must always be involved, there is no way the size of this disturbance can be reduced. Our acts of observing the universe, our attempts to gather knowledge, are no longer strictly objective because in seeking to know the universe we act to disturb it. Science prides itself on objectivity, but now Nature is telling us we never see a pure, pristine and objective quantum world. In every act of observation the observing subject enters into the cosmos and disturbs it in an irreducible way. Science is like photographing a series of close ups with your back to the sun. No matter which way you move, your shadow always falls across the scene you photograph. No matter what you do, you can never efface yourself from the photographed scene.
