Dialogues on Fundamental Questions of Science and Philosophy

A Foreword by Kurt Mendelssohn, F.R.S.

Introduction

First dialogue (Introducing the Range of Problems to be Dealt with):

Science and philosophy — Ideal values — Scepticism and Mysticism — Biology and Ethics — does an Objective Reality Exist? — from Quantum Physics to Religion — Nature Religions — Science and Superstition — Religion and Politics — Science and Art in Place of Religion.

First Part Science and Theory of Cognition

Second Dialogue (The Philosophical Problems of Quantum Physics):

Do elementary Particles Exist Objectively? — Kant and the Positivists — The Philosopher as Guardian of the Physicist — The Correspondence Principle — Individuality and Objective Existence — The Wave of Probability — Uncertainty Relation and Errors in Measurement — Experimental Conditions and Results — The Causality Principle as a Criterion of Reality — Two versions of the Causality Principle — Chance and Determinacy — The Islands of Interactions — Free will and the Causality Principle.

Third Dialogue (The Theory of Cognition of Philosophic Idealism and the Starting Point of Philosophy):

Kant's Circle Syllogism — The Positivistic Fundamental Conceptions — Fichte and Hegel — Solipsism — Philosophy and Practice — The "Physical" Positivism — Philosophy without Assumptions? — Descartes' Circle Syllogism — Deductive and Inductive Methods in Natural Science and Philosophy — Mathematics as Science of Experience — Philosophy and Individual Sciences.

Fourth Dialogue (The Model Theory of Cognition):

Theory of Cognition and Psychology — Theory of Cognition and History of the Development of Species — Learning as Fundamental Phenomenon of Life — Pavlov's Conditioned Reflexes and Perception — Haeckel's Fundamental Biogenetic Law and the Development of the Ability of Cognition — The Mate- Rialistic Theory of Cognition — Incessorial and Excessorial Creatures — of the Infantilism of the "Critical" Philosophy — "Matter" and "Mind" or "Spirit" — the Natural "Law" — Materialism and Pantheism — Metaphysics of the will?

Second Part The Ethical Problem — Nature and Culture

Fifth Dialogue (Ethical Fundamental Questions):

Ethics and Natural Science — Ethics and Practice — The Urge for "Good" and the Categorical Imperative — Reason and Inclination — Moral and Religion — Culture and Ethics — The Decline of Ethics — is Religion Necessary for the Foundation of Ethics? — Kant's Religious Postulates — The Reward Motive — The Urge for Self-Preservation and Reproduction — Culture and Biological Viability — is Culture Inherently Irrational? — The Ethical Conflict.

Sixth Dialogue (On Natural Structures):

Destruction, Annihilation, The Struggle for Existence — The Concept of Tension in Inorganic and Organic Nature — Internal Tensions — Reversible and Irreversible Processes — The Inner Harmony of Natural Structures — Species Concept and the Individual — Species Concept as "Idea" — Animate Beings as Complex Regulator — Species Concept as Control Programme — The Concept of "Good" and the Concept of "Species Homo Sapiens" — do Ideas of the Mind Only Exist?

Seventh Dialogue (Of the Individual Development and of the Behaviour of Animals):

Species Concept of the Structure of the Body and Species Concept of the Mode of Life — Structure of Conduct of Life — Species Concept and Prototype of the Individual Development — Prototype and Environment — Reflexes and Instincts — Learning and Consciousness — goal-Orientated Instincts — Complexes of Characteristics as Impulse Release — The Conflict of Instincts — The Influence of the Animal on his Environment — The Prototype of the Herd — Obedience and Disobedience of the Domesticated Animal — The Mixed Herd.

Eighth Dialogue (Ethics and Culture):

Behaviour According to Maximes — Instinct and Reason — Love and Sexuality — Motherlove — The Exploratory Drive — Ambition — The Roots of Culture — Language — Culture as Result of a "Feed-Back" — The Inner Logic of the Development of Culture — Structure of Production, Structure of Society and System of Values — Individuality and Egoism — The Ethical Primacy of Society — The Reasons for the Decay of Ethics — Social Consciousness and Tradition of Concepts.

Ninth Dialogue (On the Evaluation of Single Impulses and the Relation Between the Individual and Society):

"Eternal" Virtues — Sexual Instinct and Religion — Biological Standards of Value? — The Conscience — Moral Personal Responsibility — Concept of Honour — Professional or Class-Bound Honour — The Exploiting Class as Upholders of Civilisation — on the Moral Reaction of the Individual on Society — The Genius — The Humanitarian Ideal — Ethics and Negation of Life — "Inwardness" — The Reasons for the Social Impotence of Christianity and the Historical Limitation of Christian Ethics — Active Christianity — Does Progress Exist? — Politics, Economy and Ethics.

Tenth dialogue (On the Total Conception of the Ethical Ideals):

Again the Conflict of Ethics — The Jesuitic Casuistry — "Optimum" and "Least Evil" — The Integral Assessment of the Moral Personality — Esoteric Solution of the Ethical Problem? — Mundus Vult Decipi" — Theoretical Insight and Practical Decision — The Complex Character of Ethical Ideas — The Good and Bad Example for Others — Man is Good — The Fear of Death — The Philosopher as Comforter — Man as Tool."