Philosophical roots of the "eternal" questions in the XX-century theoretical physics

TL;DR

This paper explores how the philosophical foundations laid by 17th to 19th-century physicists influence unresolved questions in 20th-century theoretical physics, emphasizing the importance of philosophical ideas in scientific progress.

Contribution

It analyzes the philosophical roots of 20th-century physics and advocates for integrating classical philosophical ideas into modern theoretical physics.

Findings

Roots of 20th-century questions lie in early philosophical ideas.

Historical analysis of founders' works reveals philosophical influence.

Recommends applying classical philosophy to current physics challenges.

Abstract

The evolution of theoretical physics in the XX century differs significantly from that in XVII-XIX centuries. While continuous progress is observed for theoretical physics in XVII-XIX centuries, modern physics contains many questions that have not been resolved despite many decades of discussion. Based upon the analysis of works by the founders of the XX-century physics, the conclusion is made that the roots of the "eternal" questions by the XX-century theoretical physics lie in the philosophy used by its founders. The conclusion is made about the need to use the ideas of philosophy that guided C. Huygens, I. Newton, W. Thomson (Lord Kelvin), J. K. Maxwell, and the other great physicists of the XVII-XIX centuries, in all areas of theoretical physics.