“I didn’t really think about it ” (M. Planck and the Quantum Revolution)

Abstract

Introduction. In the philosophy of science great attention is traditionally paid to theoretical knowledge. However, scientific theories are considered, as a rule, as something already formed, whereas the analysis of the birth and formation of the theory plays a much smaller role. Among the various issues that arise at the intersection of philosophy and history of science the great attention of researchers is attracted by the question about the nature of scientific revolutions. In this work, the question is studied by examing the Planck’s discovery– whether a conservative in science to make a scientific revolution?

Methodology and sources. Methodologically, the work is based on historical and scientific analysis of primary sources (original publications of works of M. Planck, W. Wien, H. Poincare, A. Einstein, L. Boltzmann relating to the period from 1877 to 1912) and research literature (A. Hermann, M. Badino).

Results and discussion. The paper according the results of the study of primary sources shows that the only desire Planck in his study of blackbody radiation and the only justification for his “Akt der Verzweilung” (Act of delays) was to obtain a “correct” mathematical formula “at any price”. As for the scientific revolution on 14 December 1900 – date of Planck’s speech at a meeting of the German physical society report on “the Theory of the distribution of the radiation energy of the normal spectrum” – that is the result of later historical reconstruction. Moreover, this “revolution” in 1900, and in subsequent years remained unnoticed by anyone, including Planck himself. Thus, the result of the study is a new look at the specifics of the contribution of the scientist standing on conservative scientific positions in the scientific revolution.

Conclusion. Under certain circumstances, the main of which are the character of the task and readiness of the researcher, at least in part to “sacrifice principles” (or to simulate a departure from tradition) for the sake of formal success, the conservator may contribute to the further development of events that will eventually lead to the scientific revolution