Beyond Matter Why Science Needs Metaphysics
Beyond Matter: Why Science Needs Metaphysics by Roger Trigg, published by Templeton Press on March 13, 2017, explores the intersection of science and metaphysics. This first edition, comprising 176 pages, delves into whether science can address abstract reasoning and the fundamental questions about the intelligibility of the physical world. Trigg examines the role of metaphysics in scientific inquiry, arguing that philosophical assumptions are essential for understanding the foundations of science.
In this book, readers will encounter a critical examination of the limitations of scientific reasoning and the necessity of metaphysical thought. Trigg challenges the dismissal of metaphysics by scientists and philosophers, highlighting how contemporary physics often engages with concepts that transcend empirical evidence. The work invites reflection on the philosophical underpinnings of scientific exploration, addressing topics such as the relationship between mathematics and the physical universe, and the implications of contemplating realities beyond human experience.
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Does science have all the answers? Can it even deal with abstract reasoning beyond the world we experience? How can we ensure that the physical world is sufficiently ordered to be intelligible to humans? How can mathematics, a product of human minds, unlock the secrets of the physical universe? Should all such questions be considered inadmissible if science cannot settle them?
Metaphysics has traditionally been understood as reasoning beyond the reach of science, sometimes even claiming realities beyond its grasp. Because of this, metaphysics is often contemptuously dismissed by scientists and philosophers who wish to remain within the bounds of what can be scientifically proven. Yet scientists at the frontiers of physics unwittingly engage in metaphysics, as they are now happy to contemplate whole universes that are, in principle, beyond human reach.
Roger Trigg challenges those who deny that science needs philosophical assumptions. Trigg claims that the foundations of science themselves have to lie beyond science. It takes reasoning apart from experience to discover what is not yet known and this metaphysical reasoning to imagine realities beyond what can be accessed.
“In Beyond Matter, Roger Trigg advances a powerful, persuasive, fair-minded argument that the sciences require a philosophical, metaphysical foundation. This is a brilliant book for newcomers to the philosophy of science and experts alike.” —Charles Taliaferro, professor of philosophy, St. Olaf College
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