Introduction to Volumes I and II

Abstract

There is no point in apologizing for the size of my work, nor even for the length of the introductory chapter. A most enlightened thinker of the Age of Enlightenment once stated that his volume would become much longer if he tried to make it somewhat shorter. This illustrious comment also applies to my work, although no ‘enlightening’ claims can be made for it. The tripartite title Time, Causality, and the Quantum Theory’ is meant to convey the order of priorities in the ensuing discussions: the central topic is the problem of time. The issue of causality will be explored in much detail in order to justify my principal conclusion referring to the causal nature of time, and it will also be imperative to explore the many quantum theories, which originated in 1900 with Max Planck’s discovery of the quantum of ‘action’ (i.e., the product of energy and time) involved in any physical process. Planck generated a never-ending sequence of quantal theories which, at a later time, have transcended the scope of physics proper and invaded both chemistry and biology. The decisive relevance of this set of theories to my causal approach to time is due to the fact that they both modify the meaning of the Principle of Causality and shed new light on many aspects of the issue of time, in addition to its causal nature.

[For complete bibliographical information regarding the pertinent works of the philosophers and scientists mentioned in this Introduction, see the general bibliography at the end of Volume II.-Ed.]