Is materialism common in physics?

[Trollfaz]

I myself is a materialist. I believe that everything in nature is made of physical interactions. Consciousness is not relevant. In physics there is nothing that supports the idea that consciousness is related to the physical world. However there are physicists who subscribe to this consciousness woo such as Fred Alan Wolf, Menas Kafatos, Brian Josephson and Amit Gotswami. Is materialism the default idea in physics?

 

[Lord Jestocost]

To “believe” in “something” is private matter. Physics has to rely on the scientific method; and some cherished ideological beliefs play no role. As Byron K. Jennings puts it in “Defense of Scientism: An Insider's view of Science”:

"Contrary to popular opinion, the scientific method does not assume materialism, realism, or any other -ism. All one needs to carry out science are observations that can be used to construct and test models. Whether the observations are the result of a material world impinging on the mind through the senses, or purely illusions of the mind as in solipsism, does not really matter. The relationship between the models and reality is different for each of the options one through five [materialism, idealism, solipsism, deism, theism, LJ], but observation cannot discriminate between them."

 

[Trollfaz]

It seems that spirituality has no place in physics. That's why all the scientists who pursue this idea are criticised.

 

[Rive]

It seems that spirituality has no place in physics.

Just make it scientific, with results what can be validated all over the world: then you can claim that place for it.

 

[bhobba]

We do not discuss philosophy here, without explaining why - it has been done elsewhere. But to answer your question physicists have all sorts of views you can read in books that discuss such things eg a book I am reading right now called The Philosopher and the Physicist. Also Penrose has views on it. You can form your own view from such sources. With that said the thread is now shut.

Thanks
Bill