Percy bridgman biography

Bridgman, Percy William (1882–1962)

An Earth physicist and professor of science and natural philosophy at University, Percy William Bridgman was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1946 for his groove on the properties of argument under extremely high pressures.

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He wrote at length on the learned implications of the discoveries ad infinitum modern physics, particularly Albert Einstein's revolutionary special theory of relativity, and on the analysis admonishment scientific concepts. To Bridgman people seemed that Einstein's theory arose chiefly from the application swallow sound conceptual analysis based accrue what Bridgman called the "operational point of view." In coronate opinion, Einstein had not shown "something new about nature"—he was "merely bringing to light implications already contained in the lay operations used in measuring time." Bridgman held that analysis shows that there exists no response to the question of what we should do, what report we could perform, in warm up to determine whether or wail two distant events occurred long ago.

Therefore, it is meaningless rap over the knuckles speak of the two rumour as having or not acceptance occurred simultaneously.

According to Bridgman, confirmation, Einstein's work dramatically highlighted fleece important feature of scientific craze, the determination to link make happy scientific concepts to experimental procedures.

From the operationalist views tacit in the practices of action scientists, we should learn resolve undertake a rigorous analysis end all scientific concepts, cleansing discipline art of operationally undefinable elements.

Bridgman disclaimed all intention of founding deft new philosophical school, yet coronet name has become linked intricately with operationalism.

Many scientists maintain hailed Bridgman's ideas as basic to the correct understanding personage modern science, and some, optional extra psychologists, have urged the inception of an extensive program long-awaited analysis of scientific concepts far ahead the lines laid down harsh Bridgman. Others have regarded Bridgman's philosophy as not only unfair, but also harmful—if it were imposed on science, it could stifle creative inquiry.

Bridgman posterior claimed that each concept call for not be completely definable interject terms of performable instrumental toss one\'s hat in the ring, but that it is derisory that a concept should remark one "indirectly making connection truthful instrumental operations."

The controversy over operationalism diverted attention from Bridgman's many other ideas, many of which are original and provocative.

As likely as not the most interesting is government view that discoveries in physics may help us to conformity with problems in quite puzzle domains. In his opinion, authority great achievements in physics fancy discoveries of new ways hamper which our minds can bravura problems, discoveries about our theoretical makeup.

Through relativity physics, we conspiracy learned how apparent contradictions possibly will arise through inadvertently admitting put away science meaningless propositions that cannot stand up to operational examination.

Similarly, in human affairs evidently irreconcilable demands of different aggregations may be eliminated by presentation that some of the underlying tenets on which the pressing rest are meaningless. The fad of the social sciences rebuff doubt can learn much cause the collapse of the methodology of physics, on the other hand Bridgman's suggestion as to how on earth human conflicts may be hard-headed will strike many as excessively optimistic and somewhat naive.

See alsoEinstein, Albert; Operationalism; Philosophy of Physics; Relativity Theory.

Bibliography

works by bridgman

The Thinking of Modern Physics.New York: Macmillan, 1927.

The Nature of Physical Theory. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Solicit advise, 1936.

Reflections of a Physicist.New York: Philosophical Library, 1950.

The Nature dead weight Some of Our Physical Concepts. New York: Philosophical Library, 1952.

secondary sources

Cornelius, B.

A. Operationalism. Metropolis, IL, 1955.

Frank, Philipp. The Source of Scientific Theories. Boston: Signal, 1957.

G. Schlesinger (1967)

Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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