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[OPE-L:3508] Re: Marxism and 19th century materialism

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I agree wholeheartedly with most of Paul C's posting 3507.
My only disagreement is with his take on the "Copenhagen
interpretation" of quantum theory:

> Our blessed delivery from 19th century materialism by the
> Copenhagen interpretation is a delivery from the demons of
> Darwinian atheism and atheistic communism.

I don't believe that Niels Bohr had any such "delivery" in mind
when he formulated his philosophical gloss on the scientific
discoveries in which he played so large a part.  He was
struggling honestly with the implications of the new quantum
findings, without any prior commitment to philosophical
idealism.  (I do agree, however, that later commentators --
lacking Bohr's intimate knowledge of the actual physics -- have
taken the "Copenhagen interpretation" as a springboard for
instrumentalist and idealist musings.)

On this topic I recommend P. K. Feyerabend's "Realism,
Rationalism and Scientific Method" (Philosophical Papers,
Vol. 1) Cambridge, 1981, especially the essay "Niels Bohr's
world view".

Allin Cottrell.
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