William Blake and Werner Heisenberg, a radical poet and a pioneering quantum physicist, both feared that science, while powerful, might disconnect us from reality. Science relies on generalizing from individual observations, which Blake criticizes as “single vision” and Heisenberg notes leads to a lost reality. Mark Vernon, a psychotherapist and writer, argues that only through poetry and imagination can we reconnect with the vivid particulars of reality.
Blake is often seen as anti-science due to his critique of figures like Isaac Newton and John Locke, who emphasized rationality and generalizations over lived experience. Blake believed these methods distanced us from genuine understanding. He argued that the world cannot be fully captured through generalizations alone, as this approach reduces our connection to reality, a concern echoed by Heisenberg.
Both figures highlight the limitations of a strictly rational view while also recognizing the value of arts and sciences in combating tyranny and oppression. Their thoughts remain relevant, suggesting a need for a holistic understanding that balances rationality with imagination.
