Getting Physical

Milton A. Rothman. A Physicist's Guide to Skepticism. Prometheus Books, 1988.
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As a physicist, Rothman is somewhat agitated by people whose beliefs contradict ascertainable facts, and he uses his knowledge of physics to show how science proceeds by constructing models of reality and testing them against observations and experiments.

Most of the book consists of lucid descriptions of some of the basic principles of physics. There is also an excellent appendix entitled 'Why things can' t go faster than light' which summarises the special theory of relativity. However, he ignores or discounts certain interpretations of quantum theory, which admit the possibility of getting around the limitations imposed by the velocity of light, but in such a way as to avoid the obvious paradoxes.

Rothman claims that his book is a “philosophy of science as understood by an experimental physicist, written for the nonspecialist”. Well, the science is fine but the same cannot be said of the philosophy. Problems which philosophers have agonised over for centuries cause him no bother at all. For instance: “The proper skeptic is a pragmatist, a person whose knowledge is based on experience and observation, who knows the difference between belief and knowledge and remembers where beliefs come from and how knowledge enters the mind.” Now the difference between belief and knowledge may be obvious to him and to his fellow skeptics - and sceptics, too, no doubt - but it is far from obvious to philosophers, who devote a whole branch of their subject - epistemology - to arguing about it.

Another important branch of philosophy - ethics - also causes him no sleepless nights. He has no time at all for those who have moral qualms about the practical applications of certain recent advances in biology, such as easier abortions, and genetic engineering on humans or animals. Rothman apparently has no concept of the interdependence of science, philosophy and theology as these disciplines have developed since the Renaissance; he sees science and religion as being locked in a conflict which must end with the total triumph of science, when everybody will be sceptical. There will be a “legal and political backlash”, though. Will there be future Giordano Brunos and Galileo Galileis? Will there be lynchings and burnings? “The answer depends on the degree of hysteria generated.” How' s that for hysteria, not to mention paranoia.

This could have been a very interesting and worthwhile book if only the author knew as much about philosophy and religion as he knows about physics. – John Harney. Magonia 33, July 1989.