The Philosophical Foundations of the Kinematic Atomism of Ruder Josip Boscovich
Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: Ruder Josip Boscovich (1711–1787), a philosopher, mathematician, physicist and astronomer. The greatest of the forgotten—as Barrow says. The author of the Theory of Everything, based on the presumption that the whole substance of this world is reducible to simple, homogeneous, discontinuous and invariable physical points. These points being the centers of forces of repulsion and attraction. His system of kinematic atomism constitutes a crucial stage in the development of physics and philosophy. The physical points combine both material and psychological features, therefore among commentators the prevailing view is that they possess rather a quasi-material nature. The following presentation, however, emphasizes their psychological aspect, especially in the light of Boscovich's fairly original attempt to reduce mental states and physical facts to one, common definition. This reduction is based on the presumption that the rules which govern both kinds of substance (bodies and minds) can be reduced to the one (and only one) Rule of All Forces. Hence, this rule concerns everything in the Universe.
Source: Forum Philosophicum
Authors: Janusz Sytnik-Czetwertyński, Akademia Ignatianum
Institution: Jan Kochanowski University
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2007207945