In recent times a new dialogue has begun between the natural sciences and the humanities. This is particularly true of physics and philosophy, whose sphere of mutual interest expanded significantly with the advent of quantum mechanics. Among other topics, the discussion covers the evolution of theories, the role of mathematics in the physical sciences, the perception and cognition of nature and definitions of space and time. In contrast to the custom of the last two centuries, mathematics - the language of physics - is once again finding a respected place in the discourse of philosophers. The interdisciplinary communication between philosophers, mathematicians and physicists will be given new impetus by the thoughtful and wide-ranging contributions to this book.

Aimed at an international readership, this book offers a representative collection of essays by the German philosopher, Georg Picht (1913-1982), who was a specialist in Greek philosophy, practical philosophy and philosophy of religion. Picht's themes address different disciplines, such as ancient philosophy, systematic philosophy and political analysis, and often contain critical statements on significant developments from the European Enlightenment to the Cold War era. Other essays offer a distinctive interdisciplinary approach characteristic of the author. These contributions are relevant to both philosophy and science as they discuss, for instance, philosophical definitions of space and time or the relationship between history and evolution. Another part of the book includes texts on art that present Picht's authentic definition of art and his theory of the interdependence of art and politics. * For the first time, key texts of the German philosopher and political thinker Georg Picht are presented to a global readership in English. * Like Nietzsche's philosophy, Picht's work is grounded in his outstanding professionalism in the different fields of classics, embracing not only textsand theories of the great thinkers from the pre-Socratic to the post-Aristotelian and Stoic philosophies but also the main currents of ancient literature. * Picht's importance as a political author and public adviser is exceptional, and may explain why his lifelong friend Carl Friedrich von Weizsa cker - another pioneer presented in this series - called him his "teacher".