Abstract

In this dissertation I am pursuing three questions: first, what was the meaning of the use and rejection of mystical and paranormal terminology in the interpretations of quantum physics by Einstein, Schrodinger, Bohr, Pauli and Jordan, second what was the attitude of these physicists towards mysticism or mystical philosophy and, finally, what was their attitude towards paranormal phenomena like extrasensory perception and psychokinesis? I argue that Einstein and Schrodinger employed mystical and paranormal terminology in a derogatory, ironical, and polemical fashion to pinpoint what they understood from their perspective to be the most devastating objections against Bohr's interpretation of quantum physics. Bohr, Pauli and, to a lesser extent, Jordan rejected mystical and paranormal interpretations as misunderstandings, or even misrepresentations, of their complementarity interpretation of quantum physics. Second, Schrodinger, Bohr and Pauli supported some kind of mysticism, whereas Einstein rejected a mystical interpretation of his "Spinozistic" realism; Jordan was indifferent towards mysticism. Third, as far as paranormal phenomena were concerned Einstein, Bohr and Pauli were skeptical; Schrodinger vehemently objected to paranormal phenomena as an outflow of an animistic, magical attitude, whereas Jordan was concerned with the depth-psychological and epistemological basis of these phenomena which he believed had been verified by Rhine and Bender. It is my conclusion that the thought of these physicists provides no basis for any claims that quantum physics somehow supports mystical philosophy or parapsychology for that matter. Instead, to the extent that expressions apparently suggesting such a base are found in their works, these arose as rhetorical devices in the mutual criticisms of Einstein and Bohr, or else in connection with the individual epistemological and metaphysical views of these quantum physicists rather than from the character of the physics they helped create