“If the aim of physical theories is to explain experimental laws, theoretical physics is not an autonomous science; it is subordinate to metaphysics.” (Pierre Duhem, “The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory”, 1906)
“Science […] deals exclusively with changes of configuration, and traces the accelerations which are observed to occur, leaving to metaphysics to deal with the underlying agency, if it exists.” (Lloyd Morgan, “The Interpretation of Nature”, 1906)
"The distinction between physics, which studies phenomena and their laws, and metaphysics, which seeks to know the essence of matter insofar as it is the cause of phenomena and the basis of laws, is deprived of any foundation. The mind does not start from the knowledge of phenomena to rise to the knowledge of matter; what it can know from the start is the very nature of matter, and thence the explanation of phenomena." (Pierre-Maurice-Marie Duhem, "La théorie physique. Son objet, sa structure", 1906)
"Metaphysics, or the attempt to conceive the world as a whole by means of thought, has been developed, from the first, by the union and conflict of two very different human impulses, the one urging men towards mysticism, the other urging them towards science." (Bertrand Russell, "Mysticism and Logic: And Other Essays", 1919)
“Philosophy in its old form could exist only in the absence of engineering, but with engineering in existence and daily more active and far reaching, the old verbalistic philosophy and metaphysics have lost their reason to exist. They were no more able to understand the ‘production’ of the universe and life than they are now able to understand or grapple with 'production' as a means to provide a happier existence for humanity. They failed because their venerated method of ‘speculation’ can not produce, and its place must be taken by mathematical thinking. Mathematical reasoning is displacing metaphysical reasoning. Engineering is driving verbalistic philosophy out of existence and humanity gains decidedly thereby.” (Alfred Korzybski, “Manhood of Humanity”, 1921)
"Metaphysics, because it opens out a limitless vista of possibilities, must take care never to lose sight of the inexpressible, which indeed constitutes its very essence." (René Guénon, "Introduction générale à l'étude des doctrines hindoues", 1921)
"A system of philosophy, or metaphysics, is a union of a world view and a life view in one harmonious, complete, integral conception. In so far as any man strives to attain, by rational inquiry, a consistent and comprehensive view of life and reality, he is a metaphysician." (Joseph Alexander Leighton, "Man and the Cosmos - An introduction to Metaphysics", 1922)
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