outline
the program
the succession of forms
Science deals with the succession of forms assumed to be independent of us, which are to be predicted, and, if possible, explained. (Click here for full text.)
Science and indeterminism
Hard science is an attempt to tame actual indeterminism. Is the bullet going to hit its target or not ? (Click here for full text)
Models
Science has created, with considerable success, local models which aim at maximal logical rigour (Click here for full text), including continuous models (Click here for full text). But it cannot hope to create useful global models.
digression
qualitative or quantitative
Scientists often prefer qualitative to quantitative results. This tendency of our mind will be developed to the full in this book. (Click here for full text.)
History
Descartes explained everything and calculated nothing: Newton calculated everything and explained nothing. Dirac says that it is unimportant that we cannot give an intuitive content for the basic concepts of quantum mechanics. The dilemma of all scientific explanation is this: magic or geometry. (Click here for full text.)
topology
Topology makes possible a systematic representation of local models of understanding. (Click here for full text.)
Constructing a model
The catastrophe set
Morphogenesis can receive quite rigorous local models using the tools of topology. (Click here for full text.)
generality
Nevertheless, a general qualitative dynamics is possible. (Click here for full text.)
inert forms
And this may be applied to inert matter as well. (Click here for full text.)
conclusion
This qualitative dynamics has a pre-Socratic flavour. (Click here for full text.)
GO BACK