Rossella Lupacchini - Böcker

This volume draws attention to the encounter between physics and Japanese philosophy during the last century. While a remarkable global network of Japanese philosophy has been growing and enhancing connections with the arts, religion, hermeneutics, aesthetics, the prevailing opinion is that there is no common ground for a meaningful dialogue between theoretical physics and Japanese philosophy. With a special focus on Nishida Kitarō's engagement with scientific thought, this book invites readers to appreciate both the significance of foundational questions arising from relativity and quantum theory for Japanese philosophy, and the insightful influence of certain East Asian philosophical notions on theoretical issues in modern physics.The idea for this volume came up during the conference ‘Philosophy and Physics between Europe and Japan, 1922-1953’, held at the University of Naples Federico II in October 2023. Bringing together contributions from scholars of multiple areas of expertise, this book highlights, on the one hand, the scientific sensitivity of certain philosophers of the Kyoto School, and on the other, the role played by their analyses in the conceptual development of some Japanese physicists. This text identifies new research crucial to refining the understanding of theoretical issues at the heart of modern physics as well as to Japanese philosophy from an inter-cultural perspective.  It appeals to researchers and students working at the crossroads of theoretical physics and Japanese philosophy.

In addition to linear perspective, complex numbers and probability were notable discoveries of the Renaissance. It was only in the twentieth century that quantum theory showed how probability might be molded from complex numbers and defined the notion of “complex probability amplitude”.

In addition to linear perspective, complex numbers and probability were notable discoveries of the Renaissance. While the power of perspective, which transformed Renaissance art, was quickly recognized, the scientific establishment treated both complex numbers and probability with much suspicion. It was only in the twentieth century that quantum theory showed how probability might be molded from complex numbers and defined the notion of “complex probability amplitude”. From a theoretical point of view, however, the space opened to painting by linear perspective and that opened to science by complex numbers share significant characteristics. The Art of Science explores this shared field with the purpose of extending Leonardo’s vision of painting to issues of mathematics and encouraging the reader to see science as an art. The intention is to restore a visual dimension to mathematical sciences – an element dulled, if not obscured, by historians, philosophers, and scientists themselves.