Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen

Transcription

1 The Finnish Society for Natural Philosophy 25 Years K.V. Laurikainen Honorary Symposium 2013 Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen Seppo Laurema (Abstract and translation Tarja Kallio-Tamminen) Abstract. The article written by Seppo Laurema in Finnish gives an extensive biography of the life, research and attainments of Professor K.V. Laurikainen collected from various sources. It is primarily based on Laurikainen s own writings and the writings of his colleagues in various books and magazines. The author has also benefitted from interviewing Laurikainen s sons as well as from personal contact having been a long-term assistant of Laurikainen. The article has a chronological structure with quite detailed surveys of Laurikainen s activity in the fields of physics, philosophy and psychology. In particular, attention is given to Laurikainen s religious and ideological positions as well as his growing critique towards dogmatic science and materialism. Also, such intriguing incidents as Laurikainen s second doctoral dissertation and his public debates with influential opponents are illuminated. In addition the article contains quite a detailed survey of what Laurikainen has said related to topics like irrationality, the nature of the ultimate reality, freedom of the will, mysticism and materialism, in his various publications, and is thus a good source for further studies. The following is a brief summary of the article. Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen was born on the 6th of February in 1916 at Pielisjärvi (nowadays Lieksa), North Carelia, where his father worked as a telegrapher. From 1934 he studied at the University of Helsinki majoring in mathematics, and wholeheartedly embraced the scientific outlook. During the war years , being based at the Niinisalo artillery test station, he became increasingly interested in theoretical physics. Laurikainen completed his master s degree in 1940 and his doctoral dissertation in 1950 on a topic related to the theory of relativity. During the period , he worked as a lecturer in mathematics at the Turku Institute of Technology. Starting from 1952 he became associated also to the University of Turku, where he was an assistant professor in physics, At the University of Helsinki he was associated in 1954 to theoretical physics and become a professor in nuclear physics for the period With the support of his teacher, the mathematician Rolf Nevanlinna ( ) who had introduced Laurikainen to the theory of relativity and quantum physics, he started to campaign on behalf of theoretical physics in Finland. Especially he aspired to advance awareness of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. As a professor in nuclear

2 Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen physics Laurikainen also felt obliged to support the experimental research in elementary particle physics, and created international links to CERN and the Dubna research centers. An extensive accomplishment was also the creation of the Department of Nuclear Physics and High Energy Physics, which gave birth to the Computing Center and later to the Department of Theoretical Physics and the Research Centre in Theoretical Physics. Largely thanks to Laurikainen Helsinki became an internationally recognized research center in elementary particle physics. After retiring in 1979 at the age of 63, Laurikainen completely devoted himself to the foundations of quantum mechanics and the philosophy of Wolfgang Pauli. He had studied philosophy extensively in the late 1930s, under the guidance of the well-known philosopher Eino Kaila ( ), and even received a topic for dissertation from him related to isomorphy. In the 1970s when lecturing quantum theory he became increasingly interested in its philosophical grounds, and in 1976 when visiting CERN he became acquainted with the Wolfgang Pauli letter collection. Pauli s thinking based on the Copenhagen interpretation became a central object of interest for Laurikainen and he completely embraced Pauli s views on reality. Laurikainen continued his teaching on the history and philosophy of science at the University as an adjunct professor (dosentti, docent) of theoretical physics until 1985 and even after that by temporary arrangements until He lectured natural philosophy to scientists and theologians, and most popular became his Thursday-seminars at the Department of high-energy physics. Out of them, in 1988 was born the Society for Natural Philosophy. Laurikainen felt that further awareness of the history and philosophy of science starting from the basis of natural science was badly needed in Finland, where the interaction between physics and philosophy had ceased, and he took the initiative to set up such a department in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science. Apart from the lectures, Laurikainen also actively presented his ideas on radio programs, in books and numerous articles in magazines and newspapers, in particular during his emeritus period. The number of his research publications in physics is not so high as during his professorship he had to take care of the many administrative duties, and he did not want to put his name on the studies conducted in his institute, as is a common custom. In 1993 he concluded: it can be said that I have done my scientific work completely when retired. He also considered the critic of scientific materialism as an important result of his work. Otherwise Laurikainen was not significantly involved in political activities, except in science policy. He was opposed to Marxism because of its atheism and materialism. Laurikainen s philosophy was mainly related to the foundations of quantum mechanics. He supported the Copenhagen interpretation and the complementary philosophy as it is expressed in Pauli s thinking. He also supported Pauli s ideas on irrationality and observerdependent reality, proposals which were widely criticized e.g. by prof. Ilkka Niiniluoto. In 1995, Laurikainen got the idea of submitting a dissertation on natural philosophy and in the spring of 1996 he submitted the thesis, Science Has Its Limits, Ontological Implications of Quantum Theory for review at the University of Helsinki. The University did not, however, accept the thesis for review, as Laurikainen had already successfully defended his doctoral

3 Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen thesis there. Laurikainen turned to the University of Oulu where the Department of Physical Sciences after pre-examination gave it printing permission as a doctoral dissertation. The pre-examination was done by the Swiss professors Hans Primas and Charles P. Enz, and Enz together with the associate professor Kari Enqvist, Helsinki University, were appointed to be opponents. Everything was ready for the public examination to be held on However, a rapidly advancing illness prevented the realization of the dissertation. Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen died of cancer in a hospital in Nurmijärvi The Department of Theoretical Physics at Oulu organized a discussion forum in memoriam, where both opponents attended. Society for Natural Philosophy held a memorial symposium for Laurikainen in Helsinki at The House of Estates on In the early 1970s Laurikainen, as a result of a heart attack and his mother s death, experienced a religious awakening. He began to criticize the scientific worldview. On the basis of quantum mechanics he opposed the idea that all the meaningful questions related to reality can be solved by using scientific method (scientism). In addition to the fundamental questions related to quantum physics, he became interested in the relation of science and religion. He took the view that modern science is not incompatible with Christianity. There is only one reality, which is traced by both science and religion, and God is the deepest content of that reality. Maintaining his faith in science, he aimed to construct a harmonious whole, which includes both the modern scientific worldview and Christianity. Belief and knowledge should be two components of intellectual life which complement each other. On the basis of quantum physics Laurikainen rejected Cartesian dualism and supported Pauli s and Jung s views on psychophysical reality. He identified reality with God and emphasized that God speaks to him in nature. He was in favor of the evolution theory and rejected a literal interpretation of the Bible, saying: The Bible is not a science textbook. He aimed to promote the science and religion dialogue noting that the most important ecumenical issue of our time is between religion and science. Laurikainen considered himself as a Lutheran, but he did not often participate in the ecclesiastical life. However, he visited parish organized events and liked to discuss with spiritual leaders such as the Orthodox Archbishop Paavali ( ), who before his death, joined the Society for Natural Philosophy. Also the Bishop of the Finnish Roman Catholic Church Paul Verschuren ( ), gave a lecture at the Society for Natural Philosophy seminar in 1990 as did the future Bishop of Espoo Tapio Luoma (born 1962), and several professors of theology. In spite of this kind of co-operation Laurikainen often criticized Finnish theologians for their materialistic and deterministic worldview and their doctrine of double truth. Finnish philosophers he criticized for materialism and atheism, and their poor knowledge of science, especially related to quantum mechanics. Finnish physicists were criticized by Laurikainen for scientism and the fact that they were not interested in philosophy and did not visit his meetings. However, a fair number of representatives of the physical sciences did join the Society for Natural Philosophy, and Laurikainen also received a lot of positive feedback related to his lectures, writings and books in natural philosophy. Laurikainen visited Zurich in the spring of 1947, where he became acquainted e.g. with the Nobel physicist Wolfgang Pauli ( ). He visited Lund in , 1950, and 1956,

4 Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen and Stockholm in In he was a representative of Nordita in Copenhagen, where he met Niels Bohr ( ). In 1963, he visited Stanford University in the USA. Also noteworthy are the 11 international physics summer schools and symposiums Laurikainen organized during the years in North Carelia, the last of which was organized in 1977 at Loma-Koli, Symposium on the Foundations of Modern Physics: 50 Years of Quantum Mechanics. The symposiums on the foundations of modern physics were continued in 1985, 1987, and 1990 in Joensuu and in Helsinki in 1992 and 1994, bringing a number of well-known researchers to Finland. Laurikainen married the librarian Aila Onerva Annikki Siikanen in 1942 and had two sons: Petri Kalervo (born 1944) Ph.D., physicist and Erkki Johannes (born 1945), M.Sc., a geographer, biologist and pastor. Books written by K.V. Laurikainen The books are in Finnish, except for two English translations (1985, 1994) and the dissertation (1997) also in English Problems of present-day physics. 211 p. Nykyfysiikan ongelmia. WSOY Basics of modern physics. (Mathematical principles of relativity and quantum mechanics.) 162 p. Modernin fysiikan alkeita, WSOY Atomistic ideology and its reflections in the present-day world. 226 p. Atomistiikan aatemaailma ja sen heijastumia aikamme ideologiassa. WSOY Mathematical expedients. 215 p. Matemaattisia apuneuvoja. WSOY Physics and belief. 272 p. Fysiikka ja usko. WSOY Reality and life. 224 p. Todellisuus ja elämä. WSOY Belief in creation today. Problems of belief and knowledge in the 1980 s. (Together with Tapio Ahokallio and Erkki Laurikainen) 203 p. Luomisusko tänään. Kirjapaja The path of a physicist. (Autobiography) 239 p. Fyysikon tie. MAOL ry:n julkaisusarja 5/ Nature speaks about its Creator outlining of a new view of reality. 124 p. Luonto puhuu luojastaan uuden todellisuuskäsityksen hahmottelua. Kirjapaja Beyond the atom. The philosophical thought of Wolfgang Pauli. 187 p. In English Springer-Verlag 1988, 234 p Guillotine of science. 208 p. Tieteen giljotiini. Otava Reality and reflection. (Together with Kullervo Rainio) 203 p. Todellisuus ja kuvajainen. WSOY Philosophy with the eyes of a physicist Introduction to natural philosophy. 155 p. Filosofiaa fyysikon silmin. Yliopistopaino.

5 Kalervo Vihtori Laurikainen From Kant to a quantum, philosophy with the eyes of a physicist. 125 p. Kantista kvanttiin. Yliopistopaino The message of the atoms. Essays on Wolfgang Pauli and the Unspeakable. 204 p. In English, Springer-Verlag, 1997, 203 p Science has its limits ontological implications of quantum theory. Dissertation in English, University of Oulu, Report Series in Physical Sciences. 91 p Science has its limits quantum theory and reality. Dissertation in Finnish. 109 p. Tieteellä on rajansa. Yliopistopaino.