Die naheliegende Meinung, daß die Ursache auch in der Physik vor der Wirkung da ist, wird korrigiert: In Wirklichkeit bewirken physikalische Konfigurationen unmittelbar physikalische Abläufe. Aber die Konfigurationen müssen erst hergestellt werden, und hier spielt der Eingriff des Menschen durch das Experiment die entscheidende Rolle, weil gerade ein nicht-physikalischer Eingriff einen ganz klaren physikalischen Anfang schafft. Schließlich wird begründet, daß der Mensch nur deswegen den Begriff der physikalischen Ursache bilden kann, weil er selber aus seinem Inneren heraus mit Hilfe seiner physischen Kraft im Naturgeschehen wirken kann.
N1 -This paper corrects the common view that in the subject physics, the cause is there before the effect. In reality physical conditions bring about immediate sequences of physical events. But the conditions must first be set up and it is here that human intervention through experimentation plays the decisive role. This is because such intervention is precisely a non-physical one that creates a totally clear physical starting point. Finally it is argued that the human being can form the concept of physical causation only because he can act in the natural world from within himself with the help of his physical strength.
This paper corrects the common view that in the subject physics, the cause is there before the effect. In reality physical conditions bring about immediate sequences of physical events. But the conditions must first be set up and it is here that human intervention through experimentation plays the decisive role. This is because such intervention is precisely a non-physical one that creates a totally clear physical starting point. Finally it is argued that the human being can form the concept of physical causation only because he can act in the natural world from within himself with the help of his physical strength.