Issues

 / 

1988

 / 

February

  

From the history of physics


Complementarity, physics, and biology

The views of Niels Bohr on complementarity are examined, both in physics and in other fields. N. Bohr's opinions on the relationship between physics and biology are discussed in detail. It is shown that, over a number of years, Bohr viewed as complementary the study of organisms as atomic-molecular and as integral systems. Subsequently, owing to the development of molecular biology, Bohr rejected the idea of the complementarity in principle of the stated two types of studies. The current status of the physical theory of biological phenomena is examined, and the role of synergetics in this field is noted. The so-called antireductionism is criticized. It is shown that the views of contemporary eminent theoretical biologists reveal them to be unfamiliar with physics. The very important role of physics in the further development of biology and its practical applications is emphasized.

Fulltext pdf (385 KB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.1070/PU1988v031n02ABEH005698
PACS: 01.65.+g, 87.15.−v (all)
DOI: 10.1070/PU1988v031n02ABEH005698
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1988/2/c/
Citation: Vol’kenshtein M V "Complementarity, physics, and biology" Sov. Phys. Usp. 31 140–150 (1988)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks

Оригинал: Волькенштейн М В «Дополнительность, физика и биология» УФН 154 279–297 (1988); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0154.198802e.0279

N. Bohr is author of Physics-Uspekhi

References (48) Cited by (5) Similar articles (20) ↓

  1. M.I. Monastyrskii “John von NeumannPhys. Usp. 47 1271–1280 (2004)
  2. V.P. Reutov, A.N. Schechter “How in the 20th century physicists, chemists and biologists answered the question: what is life?Phys. Usp. 53 377–396 (2010)
  3. V.P. Milant’ev “Creation and development of Bohr’s theory (on the 90th anniversary of the Bohr theory of the atom)Phys. Usp. 47 197–203 (2004)
  4. M.A. El’yashevich, N.G. Kembrovskaya, L.M. Tomil’chik “Walter Ritz as a theoretical physicist and his research on the theory of atomic spectraPhys. Usp. 38 435–455 (1995)
  5. B. Pontecorvo “Pages in the development of neutrino physicsSov. Phys. Usp. 26 1087–1108 (1983)
  6. A.P. Grinberg “On the history of study of isomerismSov. Phys. Usp. 23 848–857 (1980)
  7. G.B. Malykin “Earlier studies of the Sagnac effectPhys. Usp. 40 317–321 (1997)
  8. V.P. Vizgin “The nuclear shield in the ’thirty-year war’ of physicists against ignorant criticism of modern physical theoriesPhys. Usp. 42 1259–1283 (1999)
  9. V.I. Kogan “The discovery of the Planck constant: ’roentgenoscopy’ of the scientific situation (1900). Missed opportunities in the choice of the Second Step (on the centenary of the First Step of quantum theory)Phys. Usp. 43 1253–1259 (2000)
  10. I.L. Fabelinskii “The prediction and discovery of Rayleigh line fine structurePhys. Usp. 43 89–103 (2000)
  11. V.I. Sanyuk, A.D. Sukhanov “Dirac in 20th century physics: a centenary assessmentPhys. Usp. 46 937–956 (2003)
  12. G.B. Malykin, V.S. Savchuk, E.A. Romanets “Lev Yakovlevich Strum and the hypothesis of the existence of tachyonsPhys. Usp. 55 1134–1139 (2012)
  13. I.M. Ternov, V.A. Bordovitsyn “Modern interpretation of J.I. Frenkel’s classical spin theorySov. Phys. Usp. 23 679–683 (1980)
  14. V.L. Ginzburg “Superconductivity and superfluidity (what was done and what was not)Phys. Usp. 40 407–432 (1997)
  15. B.B. Kadomtsev, V.I. Kogan et alOn the fiftieth anniversary of the paper by M. A. Leontovich and L. I. Mandel’shtam (’On the theory of the Schrödinger equation’)Sov. Phys. Usp. 21 272–273 (1978)
  16. I.Yu. Kobzarev “Henri Poincaré’s St. Louis lecture, and theoretical physics on the eve of the theory of relativitySov. Phys. Usp. 17 584–592 (1975)
  17. A.P. Grinberg “History of the invention and development of accelerators (1922-1932)Sov. Phys. Usp. 18 815–831 (1975)
  18. V.P. Vizgin “On the discovery of the gravitational field equations by Einstein and Hilbert: new materialsPhys. Usp. 44 1283–1298 (2001)
  19. K.N. Mukhin, A.F. Sustavov, V.N. Tikhonov “On the centenary of the Nobel Prize: Russian laureates in physicsPhys. Usp. 46 493–547 (2003)
  20. D.E. Burlankov “Gravity and absolute space. The works of Niels Bjern (1865-1909)Phys. Usp. 47 833–844 (2004)

The list is formed automatically.

© 1918–2024 Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk
Email: ufn@ufn.ru Editorial office contacts About the journal Terms and conditions