Boundaries Of Natural Science

"Translated by Frederick Amrine and Konrad Oberhuber from shorthand reports unrevised by the lecturer, from the 4th edition (1969) of the German text published under the title Grenzen der Naturerkenntnis (Vol. 322 in the Bibliographic survey)"--Copyright page.

The beginning of the new millennium has been particularly devastating in terms of natural disasters associated with tectonic plate boundaries, such as earthquakes in Sumatra, Chile, Japan, Tahiti, and Nepal; the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean tsunamis; and volcanoes in Indonesia, Chile, Iceland that have produced large quantities of ash causing major disruption to aviation. In total, half a million people were killed by such natural disasters. These recurring events have increased our awareness of the destructive power of natural hazards and the major risks associated with them. While we have come a long way in the search for understanding such natural phenomena, and although our knowledge of Earth dynamics and plate tectonics has improved enormously, there are still fundamental uncertainties in our understanding of natural hazards. Increased understanding is crucial to improve our capacity for hazard prediction and mitigation. Volume highlights include: Main concepts associated with tectonic plate boundaries Novel studies on boundary-related natural hazards Fundamental concepts that improve hazard prediction and mitigation Plate Boundaries and Natural Hazards will be a valuable resource for scientists and students in the fields of geophysics, geochemistry, plate tectonics, natural hazards, and climate science. Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https://eos.org/editors-vox/plate-boundaries-and-natural-hazards

Why is science so credible? Usual answers center on scientists' objective methods or their powerful instruments. In his new book, Thomas Gieryn argues that a better explanation for the cultural authority of science lies downstream, when scientific claims leave laboratories and enter courtrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms. On such occasions, we use "maps" to decide who to believe—cultural maps demarcating "science" from pseudoscience, ideology, faith, or nonsense. Gieryn looks at episodes of boundary-work: Was phrenology good science? How about cold fusion? Is social science really scientific? Is organic farming? After centuries of disputes like these, Gieryn finds no stable criteria that absolutely distinguish science from non-science. Science remains a pliable cultural space, flexibly reshaped to claim credibility for some beliefs while denying it to others. In a timely epilogue, Gieryn finds this same controversy at the heart of the raging "science wars."

Are there scientific problems that cannot be solved? Mathematics is riddled with such problems, but can we pose analogous questions outside of mathematics? Does nature itself impose fundamental limits on our knowledge of the universe? Despite the work of some of the greatest minds of the twentieth century, no one really knows.In May 1995 this profound and far-reaching concern brought together a small but select group of scientists in a remote scientific outpost in Abisko, Sweden, a village far north of the Arctic Circle. Boundaries and Barriers captures the spirit—and the content—of the talks given at the meeting. Included are contributions by John Barrow on the limits of science, John Casti on the search for the “unknowable” in science, James Hartle on quantum cosmology, Harold Morowitz on complexity and epistemology, and six more fascinating chapters that illuminate the possible limits to what we can know by using the tools of science. The issues discussed here challenge the very foundations of science, but the conclusions are optimistic. When the dust clears, science remains standing-our best bet for understanding the way the world works.

Chapter Zero The Substitute Preface Ⅰ. The Wuji and the Taiji Ⅱ. Polar Relativity Ⅲ. “Slice up a Watermelon” Ⅳ. The “Most Precision Instrument” Ⅴ. The moment one dharma arises, all dharmas will follow. Ⅵ. Things, based on causes and conditions, do not really exist. However, as conditions arise, they shouldn’t be considered non-existent. Ⅶ. The Absolute Truth Ⅷ. Every Dot is the Whole. Chapter One Enter the Culture of Sages and Worthies from Natural Science Ⅰ. Know the culture of sages and worthies again. Ⅱ. The Relationship of Matter and Emptiness in the Mass-energy Equation 1. Matter itself is emptiness 2. Strange sparks in the air 3. Attach importance to traditional Chinese Culture III. What is a Quantum? Ⅳ. The experiment of “Water Knows” verifies the relationship between the internal appearance and the external appearance of the mind. Ⅴ. Two Types of Spontaneity in Nature 1. The value and meaning of a human life exist in wisdom. 2. How to use the two spontaneities in everyday life. 3. The ten Dharma Realms and the transmigration of a life. VI. The Infinite Divisibility of a Particle 1. The relationship between matter, energy and information 2. Because of the sensory dusts, we produce knowledge. Because of the sensory organs, we find appearances. Inside and outside have the same noumenon. Chapter Two The perpetual motion machine Neutralization Ⅰ. How to Make a Perpetual Motion Machine? 1. A perpetual motion machine cannot be made by a dissipative structure system. 2. The software civilization and the hardware civilization 3. The information structure of the software 4. The one appearance is the “perpetual motion machine”. II. Middle is the great root under heaven. 1. The neutralization of carbon 2. Depolarization leads to neutralization. III. The phenomenon of neutralization and their applications. 1. The stability of the structure of the octet. 2. Like things repel and unlike things attract. 3. Develop a harmonious society Chapter Three Ecological Civilization and Psychological Civilization Ⅰ. The Present Situation of the Environment. 1. The destruction and pollution of natural environment. 2. The situation of social environment. Ⅱ. Mental pollution leads to environmental pollution. 1. The scientific experiment of “Water Knows” 2. Mental pollution Ⅲ. Ecology and Psychology Lecture One Effects of Psychology on Ecology 1. Is there an “I” (a self)? What is an “I” (a self)? 2. Ecological civilization 3. The polluted psychological civilization 4. The mind is the environment and the environment is the mind. Restore psychological civilization Lecture Two The oneness of the mind and the environment Chapter Four Matter and field Ⅰ. Matter and the field 1. No separation of subjectivity and objectivity; no separation of matter and energy. 2. Matter is from energy. Matter, energy and conservation. 3. The modes of motion. 4. Period and cycle is the fundamental law in the physical world. 5. Energy comes from information structures. 6. The pure information structure of zero, “destiny” and the still and changeless state. Ⅱ. “Discoveries are made according to one’s own karmas.” 1. Strange sparks in the sky; Zhuang Zhou’s dream and the butterfly’s dream. 2. Wave-particle Duality and discoveries made according to one’s own karmas 3. Understand the mechanism of “Discovery” Chapter Five The Original Source and Origins of the Universe Lecture One The Original Source of the Universe Ⅰ. The universe’s noumenon is the one appearance that has no appearance. Ⅱ. Understand the Mind and See the Nature. Verify the one appearance that has no appearance. Ⅲ. Carry Yin and Embrace Yang. Restore the one appearance. IV. The false appearances and the actual appearance 1. The relationship between the one appearance and the two appearances 2. Learn from the Great Wisdom of Sages and Worthies V. The Value of Life 1. The pursuit of knowledge requires daily accumulation. The pursuit of the Dao requires daily exhaustion. 2. Be content with poverty, keep to the Dao and make the pursuit of wisdom the sole occupation. Lecture 2 The Origins and Evolutions of the Universe Ⅰ. The Origins of the Universe 1. The big-bang theory and the most fundamental law of birth, growth, completion and death. 2. Origins of the universe in Yi Jing, Lao-zi, Zhuang-zi and Buddhist sutras. 3. The String Theory 4. The Genesis of the World by God in Christianity Ⅱ . Several fundamental laws of the universe 1. The Unity of Opposites: Carrying yin and embracing yang; 2. The structure of core formation 3. The Law of Spontaneity 4. Evolution and Development. Chapter Six Motion and Change Lecture One Where Do all Motion and Change Occur? Lecture Two Change and Changelessness Chapter Seven Polarity and Non-polarity Ⅰ. The Characteristics of Polarity and Non-polarity Ⅱ. Non-polarity does not have Appearances. Ⅲ. Non-polarity that Has No Difference and No Time and Space. Ⅳ. The Independence of Non-polarity Ⅴ. Transcend Polarity and Enter the Advanced Form of Life. VI. “Without That, There would not Be ‘I’.” “Turn All Things into the Self.” Chapter Eight Theory of Dissipation Structure Ⅰ. The Phenomenon of Self-organization Ⅱ. All of Self-organization is United in Information. 1. The open system. 2. Be far away from the state of equilibrium. 3. The nonlinear effect 4. The fluctuation effect 5. How to master the effect of nonlinear fluctuation in daily life. Chapter Nine Some problems About Time and Space Lecture One Two Different Views on Time and Space Ⅰ. Newton’s and Einstein’s views of time and space Ⅱ. The Experiment “Water Knows” Verifies the Oneness of Subjectivity and Objectivity as well as the Mind and the Environment. Ⅲ. Time and Space are False Notions. Originally Time and Space do not Exist. Ⅳ. The Buddhist View on Time and Space Lecture Two The Infinite Time, Space and Velocity Chapter Ten Human Cognitive Channels Ⅰ. Human Cognitive Channels 1. The sense organs and the sense dusts are simultaneous. 2. Different sense organs lead to different cognizance. 3. Study the Teaching of sages and worthies and know the absolute truth. Ⅱ. How to Go into the Desireless Condition? 1. Discrimination leads to comparative manifestations. Non discrimination leads to the direct manifestation. 2. The direct manifestation of Happy Bodhisattva Ⅲ. Ever Having No Desires, One will See the Wonder. 1. Ancient Chinese sages’ great wisdom of direct manifestation. 2. Spot the real great perfect mirror 3. Sudden enlightenment in scientific inventions and creations. IV. Zhuangzi’s Wisdom on How to Find the Recondite Pearl Chapter Eleven Turn Consciousness into Wisdom Ⅰ. The Equal Mind of the One Appearance Ⅱ. The One Appearance is Wisdom. The Two Appearances are Consciousness. 1. The mechanism and principle of the eight consciousnesses 2. Turn consciousness into wisdom and you will have the wisdom of the one appearance. 3. With the wisdom of the one appearance, one will serve all living beings. Ⅲ. The One Appearance Has Nothing. The Two Appearances Have Everything. Chapter Twelve Experience the Noumenon and the Actual Appearance I. Get to Know the Original Source That Has Nothing. II. “It’s neither the wind nor the banner that is moving. Humane ones, it is your mind that is moving.” Ⅲ. Matter and Emptiness; Phenomenon and Essence. Ⅳ. The Flower Case and the Moon Case Ⅴ. Get to Know the State of Non-duality. Ⅵ. Two Chickens by One Cut Chapter Thirteen Know the Great Wisdom of Ancient Sages and Worthies I. Return to the Original Source II. The Discrimination and Attachment of Living Beings 1. Finiteness and Infiniteness; polarity and non-polarity 2. What are discrimination and attachment? 3. False Appearances of the sensory organs and the sensory dusts; the appearances of subjectivity and objectivity. 4. The sensory organs and the sensory dusts have the same source. The emptied empty thusness III Lao Zi’s Great Wisdom IV. The Sixteen-character Guiding Principles. 1. Their Mind for the Way is faint and slight. 2. People’s mind is dangerous and perilous. 3. “Only by being pure and being one will people keep to the Middle.” 4. “Keep to the Middle.” V. The Innate Eight Trigrams of Fu Xi. Chapter Fourteen The Grand Unified Field Theory I. Elementary Particles and the Eight Trigrams. II. The Grand Unified Field. 1. Researches made by modern scientists. 2. In what location is the grand unified field unified? 3. All movements and change return to emptiness and stillness. 4. Trueness and falseness are non-dual. They are the grand unification. Chapter Fifteen A Comprehensive Aggregation The Phenomena of self-organization The dissipation structure Perpetual Motion Machines Two Types of Civilization The “S” Lines and the Cosmic Strings Information Structures Consciousness “The Software and Hardware” Discoveries made according to one’s own karmas The mind and the environment are the same thing. The Theory of Hologram There is no thought Transcendence Everyone Has a Unique World. All are manifestations of the thusness. The Mind and Things Move towards the Proper Enlightenment from the Six Sense Organs. The seeing is always there. View all as mirror images. View the world as a dream. The Relationship of Matter and Emptiness There is only “This”. Originally there is not time and space. The Conscious Mind is Empty and False. The Mind and the Environment Sincerity and Brightness See through the appearances and spot the nature. Material, energy and information Finiteness and Infiniteness Two types of spontaneities The Sense Organs and the Sense dusts Movement and Non-movement “Bubbles” “I” is the only honored one. Originally, there is neither birth nor death. The direct manifestation of the mind. Remove the “S” lines. Carrying yin and embracing yang The dependent and proper retributions in the Dharma-ending age The homology and simultaneity of the sense organs and the sense dusts The wonderfully pure and bright substance Food and Sex Establish a positive outlook on life Superconductivity Scientific technology and civilization In the one appearance there is no death. Originally, there is not nebulous wheel in the eyes. Quantum Existence and Non-existence (Being and non-being) Speak right Dharma to right people. The “recondite pearl” and the “Dao” The Zero One dharma and all dharmas All are manifestations of the consciousness. Activity “Transparency” Appearances are what are manifested in front of the sense organs. Yi Jing (The Book of Changes) and chemistry. Science and Religion Glossary

A look at the history of censorship, science, and magic from the Middle Ages to the post-Reformation era. Neil Tarrant challenges conventional thinking by looking at the longer history of censorship, considering a five-hundred-year continuity of goals and methods stretching from the late eleventh century to well into the sixteenth. Unlike earlier studies, Defining Nature’s Limits engages the history of both learned and popular magic. Tarrant explains how the church developed a program that sought to codify what was proper belief through confession, inquisition, and punishment and prosecuted what they considered superstition or heresy that stretched beyond the boundaries of religion. These efforts were continued by the Roman Inquisition, established in 1542. Although it was designed primarily to combat Protestantism, from the outset the new institution investigated both practitioners of “illicit” magic and inquiries into natural philosophy, delegitimizing certain practices and thus shaping the development of early modern science. Describing the dynamics of censorship that continued well into the post-Reformation era, Defining Nature's Limits is revisionist history that will interest scholars of the history science, the history of magic, and the history of the church alike.

This text argues that an explanation for the cultural authority of science lies where scientific claims leave laboratories and enter boardrooms and living rooms. Here, one uses "maps" to decide who to believe - cultural maps demarcating "science" from pseudoscience, ideology, faith, or nonsense.

New essays on Kant's complex work, considering its place in his oeuvre and in the history of science.