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The Scientific Worldview‚ presents a balanced
theoretical perspective that has profound implications for the
social as well as the physical sciences. Borchardt outlines the
philosophical alternatives and selects those necessary for
consistent scientific thinking.
The balanced outlook
requires beginning assumptions alien to classical mechanism and
modern systems philosophy:
o All effects
have an infinite number of causes
o The universe is infinite
both in the microscopic and macroscopic directions
o All
decreases in order in one portion of the universe result in
equivalent increases in order in another portion.
The central concept of the resulting
philosophical system is univironmental determinism‚ a new,
universal, mechanism of evolution founded on the simple proposition
that whatever happens to a thing is a result of the infinite variety
of matter in motion within and without.
Borchardt
criticizes the 20th Century "scientific world view," systems
philosophy, for overemphasizing systems and neglecting environments.
He argues that this biased outlook taints our most fundamental
theories about the universe.
For example, gravitation
is currently viewed as the result of an "attraction" or "curved
space" produced by the system itself. The universe is thought to be
expanding into itself. According to Borchardt, Big Bang cosmology,
the logical culmination of systems philosophy, must be rejected as
anthropocentric. The universe is not a system; it is a univironment.
The univironmental viewpoint yields equally
intriguing analyses in personal and social philosophy. In addition
to his views on human behavior, consciousness, epistemology, and
ethics, Borchardt defends his belief that humanity will not cause
its own extinction. He emphasizes the 1989 decrease in the rate of
global population increase as having major importance for predicting
the inevitable stabilization of population and the decline of rapid
economic growth. In brief, The Scientific Worldview‚ provides the
first outline of the philosophical perspective that will develop
during the last half of the Industrial-Social Revolution.
Quotes:
From the
book...
The compromises with indeterminism that
scientists have concocted since the turn of the century are getting
stale. They are becoming an impediment to progress.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics is a law of
departure; its complement is a law of arrival.
Today
the scientific world cries out for a universal theory of evolution,
but it cannot have one without overtly embracing determinism.
When it is finally laid to rest, the theory of the
"Big Bang" origin of the universe will be recognized as the most
acute embarrassment of 20th century science. We must
resist choosing between fatalism and solipsism, between objectivism
and subjectivism, between antihumanism and humanism. Progressive
philosophy must be consciously univironmental as well as consciously
deterministic.
The convergence of social microcosms
at first produces conflict, even war and then produces larger, more
complicated social microcosms.
Assuming
uniformitarian symmetry, world population will stabilize at about
twice whatever it was at the Inflection Point. This will be
approximately 10 billion.
We don't need to believe
that, with the advent of consciousness, we can now step outside
evolution, go under it, rise above it, or stop it.... all our
actions are evolutionary.
From others...
"Extraordinary"
Michael Larsen,
Literary Agent, San Francisco
"I was truly
stimulated, more than I thought I would be. I felt almost propelled
through it. Superb organization."
Jon Richards, Psychologist,
San Francisco
"Stimulating, fascinating, irritating
and controversial."
Bob High, Mathematician, New York
"A magnificent achievement, but too dense for the
general reader and too tendentious for the scientist."
Random House
NOW, FOR THE FIRST
TIME, A BOOK THAT PUTS IT ALL TOGETHER...
For thought provoking answers to these and
many other important questions, read The Scientific Worldview. Then
make up your own mind.
FOR THE GENERAL
READER:
Is there is a connection between the
worldview that brought us the Big Bang Theory and the one that now
brings us religious wars throughout the world?
What
does rapid population growth have to do with rapid economic growth
and the Industrial Revolution?
Will the human race
cause its own extinction?
Why is extrasensory
perception impossible?
Why can't we travel backward
in time?
Has the "population bomb" fizzled?
What is consciousness?
What is time?
What really‚ is energy?
What is the
mechanism of evolution?
What are the Ten Assumptions
of Science?
Could "massless particles" really exist?
Could life originate in a finite universe?
Did the universe explode from a "cosmic egg"?
What really‚ is the cause of gravitation?
In what way is conventional scientific philosophy
biased?
Does the galactic redshift really indicate
that the universe is expanding?
Does the Second Law
of Thermodynamics mean that the universe will eventually succumb to
"heat death"?
Why do the conclusions of modern
cosmology indicate that something is drastically wrong with our
current philosophy of science?
About the
Author
Glenn Borchardt has B.S. and M.S.
degrees in soil science from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D.
degree from Oregon State University. He has over 40 years of
practical as well as theoretical experience in a wide range of
scientific endeavors. Borchardt was one of the first to develop
methods to "fingerprint" volcanic ash layers for stratigraphic
correlation by using instrumental neutron activation analysis. His
"SIMAN" coefficient is used widely for making statistical
comparisons involving geochemical similarity analysis. He has
produced over 200 scientific reports and publications, including
several books and computer programs, as well as chapters on soil
smectites and soil dating in major textbooks. His current research
involves the use of soil mineralogical and geochemical techniques
for studying prehistoric earthquakes.
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