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Pauli Quotes

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Pauli Quotes

“If we wanted to construct a basic philosophical attitude from these scientific utterances of Pauli's, at first we would be inclined to infer from them an extreme rationalism and a fundamentally skeptical point of view. In reality however, behind this outward display of criticism and skepticism lay concealed a deep philosophical interest even in those dark areas of reality of the human mind which elude the grasp of reason. And while the power of fascination emanating from Pauli's analyses of physical problems was admittedly due in some measure to the detailed and penetrating clarity of his formulations, the rest was derived from a constant contact with the field of creative processes, for which no rational formulation as yet exists.”

Reason Philosophy Reality Science Interest Criticism Skepticism Fascination Skeptical Rationalism Scientific Wolfgang Pauli Pauli

Book:Physics and philosophy: the revolution in modern science

Source: Physics and philosophy: the revolution in modern science

“When I die, my first question to the devil will be: What is the meaning of the fine structure constant?”

Science Physics Alpha Fine Structure Constant Fundamental Constants Pauli

Author:Wolfgang Pauli

“Realizing its fundamental importance in understanding spectral lines, in atomic physics and in the theory of how light and electrons interact, quantum electrodynamics, Pauli and Heisenberg were determined to derive it from quantum theory rather than introducing it from the start. They believed that if they could find a version of quantum electrodynamics capable of producing the fine structure constant, it would not contain the infinities that marred their theories.”

Science Physics Quantum Theory Fine Structure Constant Heisenberg Pauli

Book:Deciphering the Cosmic Number: The Strange Friendship of Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung

Source: Deciphering the Cosmic Number: The Strange Friendship of Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung

“Through Jung [Pauli] became very interested in various kinds of mysticism, including Jewish mysticism. This led Pauli to develop a friendship with Gershom Scholem, the world's greatest authority in that field and in the Cabala, .... On one occasion Scholem asked me to tell him about unsolved problems in modern physics. .... When I mentioned this number --137-- to Scholem, .... He told me that in Hebrew .... The number corresponding to the word 'cabala' happens to be 137.”

Science Physics Mysticism Jung Fine Structure Constant Pauli Cabala 137 Scholem

Book:The joy of insight: passions of a physicist

Source: The joy of insight: passions of a physicist