PLANCK’S “LONG AND MULTIPLY TWISTED [AND INCONCLUSIVE] PATH” TOWARDS A BLACK BODY THEORY
PLANCK’S “LONG AND MULTIPLY TWISTED [AND INCONCLUSIVE] PATH” TOWARDS A BLACK BODY THEORY

Author(s): Antonino Drago
Subject(s): History, History of ideas, Philosophy of Science
Published by: Scientia Socialis, UAB
Keywords: Planck; Black Body Theory; Quanta;
Summary/Abstract: Karl Ernst Ludwig Max Planck (1858–1947) suggested the quanta through a long series of calculations aimed at solving the problem of black–body radiation. These calculations are easily divided into six groups. It is shown that each group is disconnected from any other group. Planck’s successful results are justified as either lucky calculations or retrospective calculations from the Wien’s experimental law. Several scholars pointed out strong theoretical reasons for considering them insufficient to provide a correct notion of quanta of energy. By applying an operative definition of incommensurability, it is proved that they are insufficient because Planck ignored the mutual incommensurability in therelationship between the classical theories and the new theory.

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