Values and the Quantum Conception of Man * Disclaimer

Classical mechanics is based upon a mechanical picture of nature that is fundamentally incorrect. It has been replaced at the basic level by a radically different theory: quantum mechanics. This change entails an enormous shift in our basic conception of nature, one that can profoundly alter the scientific image of man himself. Self-image is the foundation of values, and the replacement of the mechanistic self-image derived from classical mechanics by one concordant with quantum mechanics may provide the foundation of a moral order better suited to our times, a selfimage that endows human life with meaning, responsibility, and a deeper linkage to nature as a whole. Invited contribution to the UNESCO sponsored Symposium: Science and Culture: A Common Path for the Future Tokyo, September 10-15, 1995 ∗This work was supported by the Director, Office of Energy Research, Office of High Energy and Nuclear Physics, Division of High Energy Physics of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC03-76SF00098.