Fields as Formal Causes, with David Bentley Hart

In this conversation, Rupert Sheldrake and David Bentley Hart delve into the concept of fields in physics, discussing their nature as non-material formative causes and their historical context in scientific thought. They explore the idea that fields, such as gravitational and electromagnetic, act as top-down causes, aligning with Aristotle's formal and final causes, and argue for a re-evaluation of these ancient concepts in modern science.

Chapter List:

00:00 - Introduction
01:14 - Exploring Fields as Causes in Nature
02:08 - Magnetic Fields and Formative Processes
04:19 - Gravitational Fields and Formative Effects
06:10 - Aristotle’s Formal and Final Causes
07:32 - Challenges in Understanding Fields
09:09 - Fields as Top-Down Causes
10:34 - Morphic Fields and Formative Causation
12:23 - Information Theory vs. Form
14:15 - Fields and Order in Physics
17:15 - Semantic and Syntactic Information
18:18 - Universal Gravitational Field
19:44 - Strong and Weak Nuclear Fields
21:18 - History of Field Theory and Ether
23:14 - Gilbert’s Magnetic Theory
24:46 - Mind-like Structure in Nature
25:39 - Combination of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Theories
27:07 - Mechanistic Models and Their Limitations
28:52 - Recovering Aristotelian Causality
31:39 - Conclusion and Reflection on Fields as Modern Souls


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Dr Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, is a biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. At Cambridge University, as a Fellow of Clare College, he was Director of Studies in biochemistry and cell biology. As the Rosenheim Research Fellow of the Royal Society, he carried out research on the development of plants and the ageing of cells, and together with Philip Rubery discovered the mechanism of polar auxin transport. In India, he was Principal Plant Physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, where he helped develop new cropping systems now widely used by farmers. He is the author of more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and his research contributions have been widely recognized by the academic community, earning him a notable h-index for numerous citations. On ResearchGate his Research Interest Score puts him among the top 4% of scientists.

https://www.sheldrake.org