Aristotle and the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics

Abstract

The four antinomies of Zeno of Elea continue to be provoking issues that remain relevant for the foundation of science. Aristotle used this antinomy to arrive at a deeper understanding of movement: it is a fluent continuum that he considers to be a whole. The parts, if any, are only potentially present. Similarly, quantum mechanics states that movement is quantized; things move or change in non-reducible steps, the so-called quanta. This view is in contrast to classical mechanics, where infinitesimally small steps are permitted. The objective of the present study is to show the merits of the Aristotelian approach. Examples from modern science serve to illustrate the philosophical statements.