Science and Humanism: the vision of Erwin Schrödinger

Abstract

In 1950, Erwin Schrödinger, the Austrian physicist who was one of principal proponents of quantum physics, gave a series of lectures entitled Science and Humanism. It has been translated into Portuguese. This essay analyzes his perpective of science as a part of the effort of the human being to know him/ herself. We discuss his vision of the unity of sciences, the relation between science and technique, the deep roots of scientific thinking in Greek Antiquity and, in addition, the interplay of science with philosophy and religion. We argue that a great part of Schrödinger’s reflections are still relevant today, at a time when it has become usual to speak of the crisis of humanism. More humanism means more and better science, and that means progress in the integration of different branches of human knowledge.