Drawing on Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, this course explores how a mindset that distinguishes between parts and wholes affects scientific, social, and ethical judgment. Through a variety of examples and philosophical discussions, he shows how to make rational decisions in complex situations and emphasizes the importance of setting objective criteria.
When you think of Heisenberg, you think of the principle of indeterminacy. The state of an electron inside an atom is determined by its velocity and position. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle is that the velocity and position of an electron cannot be known exactly. In other words, when the velocity of an electron becomes certain, the position of the electron becomes uncertain, and when the position of the electron becomes certain, the velocity of the electron becomes uncertain. This is why it makes sense to distinguish between velocity and position: to measure velocity accurately in situations where the velocity of the electron is important, and to measure position accurately in situations where the position of the electron is important.
With this principle, Heisenberg provides an important lesson not only for physics but also for many judgment situations: when trying to solve a problem, selecting and clarifying one of several factors can make the others fade into obscurity. This is a philosophical principle that can be applied to personal and social decisions as well.
Here’s what Heisenberg has to say about how to make judgments in any given situation. First, as the title of the book suggests, Heisenberg divides what constitutes a situation into “parts” and “wholes”. We should then make judgments based on the importance of the “part” or “whole” in that situation. This is not just a physics perspective, but can also be applied to philosophical and ethical problem solving. In doing so, Heisenberg emphasizes the importance of choice and focus in complex real-world problems.
For example, the part-whole mindset is also very useful in everyday decisions that we often face. For example, when you’re working on an important project at work, it’s very difficult to decide whether it’s important to handle the details of the project perfectly or to keep the big picture in mind. By applying the Heisenberg mindset, you’ll be able to approach each situation differently. If the details are the key to success, focus on them, but if the big picture is more important, prioritizing the big picture can lead to the right decision.
Heisenberg illustrates this point in a variety of historical contexts. First, consider the following conversation between Fermi and Heisenberg. Fermi encourages Heisenberg to emigrate to the United States because Germany is about to start World War II. Heisenberg responds that he wants to stay in Germany because he wants to help discover new facts in science and rebuild science after the war by gathering a group of bright young people around him. Here he is torn between his own interests and the greater good of Germany’s future, and chooses to pursue the more important values. This distinction between the parts and the whole and making a decision in favor of the greater whole is an important aspect of Heisenberg’s thinking.
Also, when Euler applies to join the Luftwaffe, Heisenberg discourages Euler by saying, “You shouldn’t go to war. In war, many people will die, and those who survive the war will realize that war does not solve any problems. Therefore, we should work on scientific progress after the war rather than going to war. This emphasizes that rather than choosing war as a short-term solution to a problem, it is better to do small things for the betterment of humanity in the long run. In other words, rather than war, which is a revolutionary method of dividing the whole from the parts, Heisenberg’s position is that small achievements lead to greater results.
Furthermore, Heisenberg’s argument is also important in the context of ethical choices. In the chapter entitled The Responsibility of Researchers, Heisenberg discusses the role of scientists in the development of nuclear weapons. In particular, Friedrich asks Heisenberg how scientists should act when technological advances collide with ethical issues. Heisenberg emphasizes that scientists must take responsibility for ensuring that the technologies they develop are used correctly in society. This is an argument for social impact beyond mere research, and it challenges us to think about the role of scientists on the two pillars of science and society.
Finally, I agree with Heisenberg’s distinction between the part and the whole, which I think can be an important criterion not only for personal ethical judgments but also for social and political decisions. In the modern world, we often have to make complex decisions, and these decisions are always ambivalent. For example, the conflict between environmental protection and economic development is something we often encounter. If we follow Heisenberg’s way of thinking, we can come to the conclusion that we need to make a balanced judgment between the parts of the economy and the whole of the environment. As we can see from these examples, his philosophical approach is still valid.
To summarize, according to Heisenberg’s argument, it’s important to distinguish between the parts and the whole of a situation because it clarifies the complexity of the situation and allows us to make better decisions. The important thing is not simply to distinguish between the parts and the whole, but to clarify the ethical responsibilities and choices that arise within them. I think this is where Heisenberg’s emphasis on discussion comes in. We can make more rational decisions if we engage in discussions with others to understand different perspectives and, in the process, establish objective criteria for making judgments.
