Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Has Physics Discarded Mechanism ?

Abstract

IN his British Association presidential address of 1931, General Smuts pointed out that “the older mechanistic conception of Nature is being modified”. This is undeniable; but to what extent does it justify the accompanying statement that “the very basis of mechanism is undermined” ? This has been repeated frequently, with applications to psychology, ethics and philosophy that are as obvious as they are debatable.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

TURNER, J. Has Physics Discarded Mechanism ?. Nature 130, 544 (1932). https://doi.org/10.1038/130544a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/130544a0

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing