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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

181038

Determinism, determination, and objectivity in modern physics

Gordon Brittan

pp. 159-168

Abstract

Kant's case for the objectivity of at least some of our experience is more threatened by the indeterminate than the indeterministic character of modern physics. Indeterminancy is a complex notion. It can be understood, ultimately, in terms of the failure of a "separability" principle, that objects can be individuated only with respect to non-vanishing spatial-temporal intervals. Its failure seems to follow from the fact that it is indispensable to the derivation of Bell's Theorem and that the conclusion of the Theorem is incompatible with well-established empirical results. But Kant's case for objectivity depends on it. The result is unsettling.

Publication details

Published in:

Bitbol Michel, Kerszberg Pierre, Petitot Jean (2009) Constituting objectivity: transcendental perspectives on modern physics. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 159-168

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9510-8_9

Full citation:

Brittan Gordon (2009) „Determinism, determination, and objectivity in modern physics“, In: M. Bitbol, P. Kerszberg & J. Petitot (eds.), Constituting objectivity, Dordrecht, Springer, 159–168.