Question 34: Is nature really as physics, biology and chemistry describe it?

Annette Paul, PTB Working Group "Environmental radioactivity": How can “describe” and “be” be the same? If this were so, nature would be only as mathematics and physics describe it.

Reinhard Scherm, former PTB Department "Fundamentals of Physics and Metrology": No. We are always only preparing models which try to describe processes and relationships. Imagine the earth would always be covered with grey clouds and we had never seen the blue sky, the sun, the moon or the stars. What about our language and poems, our religious ideas and our “knowledge” of the universe? De facto we see the big, complex world through very narrow filters: one octave of colours, five octaves of acoustic waves, hot, cold, a bit of stale air and the pleasant taste of potato gratin or liver sausage. That’s all. Therefore: modesty. In spite of that, constant striving for objectivity is demanded.

Gesine Grosche, PTB Working Group "Unit of Length": Tautological question. Our description explains more or less what nature can be for human beings. So what we call nature is as it is.

Niels Bohr (1885 - 1962): “Washing dishes and language can in some respects be compared. We have dirty dishwater and dirty towels and nevertheless finally succeed in getting the plates and glasses clean. Likewise, we have unclear terms and a logic limited in an unknown way in its field of application – but nevertheless we succeed in using it to bring clearness to our understanding of nature.”

Uwe Keyser, former PTB Department "Focal Points of Experimental Research": Rather not, but laws which can be mathematically formulated can be regarded as universally valid.

Andreas Bauch, PTB Working Group "Unit of time": 34. Is nature really as physics, biology and chemistry describe it? The question suggests that there is something beyond the scientific description of nature. That is surely true – see question 25.

Werner Heisenberg (1901 - 1976): “Natural science describes and explains nature not just as it is “as such.” It rather is part of the interrelation between nature and ourselves. It describes the nature as exposed to our questions and methods.”

Ernst O. Göbel, President of the PTB: The question is illogical – think about it!

Uwe Keyser, former PTB Department "Focal Points of Experimental Research": Rather not, but laws which can be mathematically formulated can be regarded as universally valid.