Ovchinnikov, Nikolai Fedorovich

He graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Sverdlovsk (now Ural State University (1941), then the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University named after MV Lomonosov (1947), graduate school of the Institute of Philosophy of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1950).

From 1950 to 1971 he worked at the Institute of Philosophy , since 1954 - a senior research fellow . From 1971 to 2010, he worked at the Institute of the History of Natural Sciences and Technology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (then the Russian Federation): as a senior research associate, then as a leading research associate (since 1992), and as a chief research associate (1998). At the same time (1948-1970) he taught philosophy at the physical , biological and philosophical faculties of Moscow State University . Candidate dissertation - "The concept of mass and energy in modern physics and their philosophical significance" (1950), doctoral dissertation - "Principles of conservation" (1966).

He was the editor of a series of books on the methodological principles of physics (together with B. M. Kedrov ), the editor of books and collections on the methodology of science; member of the editorial board of the journal "Nature" (1958-1978).

He was buried in Moscow at the Mitinsky cemetery ^[1] .

Ovchinnikov investigated the role of the principles of conservation , invariance and symmetry in the structure of scientific theories, highlighting the general features of these principles and emphasizing the specificity of their methodological impact; substantiated the general characteristic of the concept of symmetry as the unity of a conserved and changing scientific subject; formulated the principle of maintaining symmetry in the history of scientific research; presented the concept of structure as an invariant aspect of the system in a theoretical analysis of its elements, relationships and integrity; identified the levels of epistemological analysis of scientific knowledge - intrascientific, methodological and philosophical. In connection with the methodological analysis of knowledge, he undertook (jointly with I. S. Alekseev ) a systematic review of methodological principles that implement communication between philosophical and special-scientific research. Ovchinnikov drew attention to the reverse turns (appeal to means of activity) in the history of knowledge, which appear as points of growth and as sources of new ideas. The principle of adversity is presented and historically unfolded by him as a generalization of the concept of reflection. He introduced a distinction between the concepts of individual and collective knowledge, analogous to World 2 and World 3 by Karl Popper . He worked on translations of the classical works of M. Jemmer , W. Heisenberg and C. Popper .

Monographs

1. The concepts of mass and energy in modern physics and their philosophical significance // Philosophical issues of modern physics . - M .: Nauka, 1952. - S. 445-488.
2. The principles of conservation. - M .: Nauka, 1966 .-- 330 p.
3. Historical and methodological foundations of quantum theory // Methodology for the justification of quantum theory. - M .: Nauka, 1984. - S. 239-324 (co-authors I. S. Alekseev, A. A. Pechenkin).
4. Domestic philosophy of science: preliminary results. - M .: ROSSPEN , 1997. - S. 141-247 (co-authors E. A. Mamchur, A. P. Ogurtsov ).
5. The trend towards the unity of science (knowledge and nature). - M .: Nauka, 1988 .-- 269 p.
6. The principle of simplicity and measure of complexity . - M .: Nauka, 1989 .-- 303 p. (co-authors E.A. Mamchur, A.I. Uemov).
7. Principles of theorizing knowledge . - M. , 1996.
8. Methodological principles in the history of scientific thought . - M .: EDITORIAL. URSS, 1997 .-- 295 p.
9. Search for understanding. Selected Works on the History and Philosophy of Science - M., New Chronograph, 2016–656 p.

Featured Articles

1. The concepts of mass and energy in modern physics and their philosophical significance // Philosophical issues of modern physics. - M .: Nauka, 1952. - S. 445-488.
2. Discussion of philosophical questions of the theory of relativity // Questions of philosophy . 1959. No. 2. - P. 77-82.
3. On the development of the theory of scientific knowledge // Questions of Philosophy. 1964. No. 2. - P. 14-25.
4. Features of modern natural sciences // Questions of philosophy. 1966. No. 9. - P. 24—35.
5. Space-time, energy-momentum in the structure of physical theory // Problems of Philosophy. 1968. No. 4. - P. 82—92 (co-author Yu. B. Rumer).
6. The principles of simplicity and symmetry // Nature. 1968. No. 6. - P. 2-11 (co-author E. A. Mamchur).
7. To the publication of the book “Reflections of a Naturalist” // Nature. 1973. No. 6. - S. 3-31.
8. Features of methodological thinking M. Planck // Nature. 1975. No. 12. - S. 77-78.
9. Methodology of science: problems of theorization of knowledge // Nature. 1978. No. 3. - S. 109-117.
10. Methodology of science: historical forms, levels of development // Nature. 1978. No. 4. - S. 65-73.
11. To the problem of the formation of Einstein’s creative personality // Philosophy Issues. 1979. No. 9. - S. 70–84.
12. The formation of a creative personality and the principles of scientific research // Scientific creativity (features and actual problems). Sverdlovsk, 1984. - S. 19-43.
13. Methodological principles in the work of V.I. Vernadsky // Nature. 1988. No. 2. - S. 74-81.
14. B. L. Pasternak: the quest for vocation (from philosophy to poetry) // Problems of Philosophy. 1990. No. 4. - S. 7-31.
15. Karl Popper - our contemporary, philosopher of the XX century // Questions of philosophy. 1992. No. 8. - S. 40-48.
16. On the intellectual autobiography of Popper // Questions of Philosophy. 1995. No. 12. - S. 35-38.
17. Recalling the Past // Questions of Philosophy. 1999. No. 7. - S. 105-126.
18. On the history of the sector: time and people // Philosophy of Natural Sciences: a retrospective view. - M .: IF RAS, 2000. - P. 31–55.
19. Knowledge is the pain nerve of philosophical thought // Questions of philosophy. 2001. No. 1. - S. 83-113.
20. Popper and George Soros: A Meeting of Philosophy and Economics // Science of Science. 2001. No. 1. - S. 81-109.
21. Parmenides - a miracle of ancient thought and the enduring idea of ​​invariants // Problems of Philosophy. 2003. No. 5. - S. 81-95.
22. Epistemology and philosophy of science. Werner Heisenberg: in the context of the history of the fate of the scientist // " Philosophical sciences ", part I in volume V No. 3.2005; h. P in t. No. 4, 2005.
23. On the moral responsibility of a scientist (reflections in connection with the concept of Karl Popper) // Natural History in a humanitarian context. M .: Nauka, 1999 .-- S. 152-168.
24. Worlds of knowledge - the subject of methodological reflection // The concept of virtual worlds and scientific knowledge. - M .: Nauka, 2000 .-- S. 246—259.
25. Epistemological lesson of Max Planck. // One hundred years from the day of the great discovery. - M. , 2001.

Collections

1. The concepts of mass and energy in modern physics and their philosophical significance // Philosophical issues of modern physics. - M .: Nauka, 1952. - S. 445-488.
2. The materiality of the world and the laws of its development // On dialectical materialism. - M .: Politizdat, 1953. - S. 235—239.
3. The problem of the reality of relativistic effects // Philosophical questions of modern physics. K .: Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, 1956. - S. 206-210.
4. Priestley's materialism (and other texts on the history of natural science) // History of Philosophy. - M .: Nauka, 1957. - T. 1. - S. 615-620.
5. Philosophical views of Lobachevsky // History of philosophy. - M .: Nauka, 1957. - T. II. - S. 323-325.
6. Conservation laws and causation of natural phenomena // The problem of causality in modern physics. - M .: Nauka, 1960. - P. 132-187 (Editing the collection together with B. M. Kedrov and M. Ом. Omelyanovsky).
7. The principles of conservation and the problem of the structure of matter // Philosophical problems of elementary particle physics. - M .: Nauka, 1963. - S. 74-99.
8. The category of structure in the sciences of nature // Structure and forms of matter. - M .: Nauka, 1967. - S. 11-67. (Editing the collection).
9. Structure and symmetry // System Research. - M .: Nauka, 1969. - S. 111-121.
10. Structure and symmetry // System Research. - M .: Nauka, 1969. - S. 111-121.
11. The principles of conservation and properties of space and time // Space, time, movement. - M .: Nauka, 1971. - S. 107-125 (co-author Yu. B. Rumer).
12. Features of development and the trend towards the unity of scientific knowledge // Problems of history and methodology of scientific knowledge. - M .: Nauka, 1974.- S. 72-111.
13. The principle of conservation // Methodological principles of physics. - M .: Nauka, 1975. (Editing the collection together with B. M. Kedrov). - S. 225-267.
14. Symmetry - the regularity of nature and the principle of knowledge // The principle of symmetry. - M .: Nauka, 1978. (Editing the collection together with B. M. Kedrov). - S. 5–46.
15. The unity of scientific knowledge and the principle of compliance // Principle of compliance. - M .: Nauka, 1979. (Editing the collection together with B. M. Kedrov). - S. 96-107.
16. Knowledge and consciousness in the activities of a scientist // Sociocultural context of science. - M .: Nauka, 1998 .-- S. 163-183.
17. On the moral responsibility of a scientist (reflections in connection with the concept of Karl Popper) // Natural history in a humanitarian context. - M .: Nauka, 1999 .-- S. 152-168.
18. Worlds of knowledge - the subject of methodological reflection // The concept of virtual worlds and scientific knowledge. - M .: Nauka, 2000 .-- S. 246—259.
19. Epistemological lesson of Max Planck. // One hundred years from the day of the great discovery. - M. , 2001.
20. The Limitations of Causality as a Principle of Explanation // Causality and Teleonomism in the Modern Natural Science Paradigm. - M .: Nauka, 2002 .-- S. 87-110.

Translations of N. F. Ovchinnikov

• Translation of the book: V. Heisenberg Philosophic problems of Nuclear Science. New York, 1952. Rus. Per .: Werner Heisenberg, "Philosophical problems of atomic physics." - M .: IL, 1953. - 135 p.
• Translation of the article by L. Yanoshi “On the philosophical questions of modern physics” in the book: “Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie, H.3. 1955. ”- 1957.
• Translation of the article by Feinberg G. and Goldhaber M. (USA) “Conservation Laws in Physics” // Philosophy Issues. 1964. No. 10. - P. 93-100.
• Translation and commentary on the book: Max Jammer. Concept of mass in classial and modern physics. - Harvard. 1961. - Rus. Translation: Max Jammer. The concept of mass in classical and modern physics. - M .: Progress, 1967 .-- 225 p.
• Translation of the chapter (“On the Sources of Knowledge and Ignorance”) from the book: Conjectures and Refutations, by Karl Popper. London, 1969 // Questions of the history of natural science and technology. 1992. No. 3. - S. 5-30.
• Per. books: Karl Popper. Unendet Quest. An Intellectual Autobiography. La Salle, Illinois. 1990. Rus. Trans .: Popper K. Unfinished search. Intelligent autobiography. - M .: EDITORIAL, 2002 .-- 258 p. (together with V.V. Kelle).
• Per. I parts of ch. 7 “Beyond the Search for Invariants,” from Karl Popper. The World of Parmenid. London and New Jork. 1998.// Journal “Issues of the History of Natural Science and Technology”, No. 4 of 2002. And part of the translation in No. 2 of 2003.
• Continuation of the publication of the translation of the 7th chapter of K. Popper's book “The World of Parmenides” // VIET. 2003. No. 2. - S. 64-101.

Translations of N.F. Ovchinnikov's works

• Materialnosc swiata i prawidlowosci jego roswoju. - Warsz. : Ksiazka i wiedza, 1954. - 87 p.
• The materiality of the world. - Beijing, 1954. - 110 p. (in Chinese).
• Die Materialitar der Welt und Gesezmobiketen der Entwicklung der sich bewegenden Materie. - B .: Dietz Verlag. 1955. - 56 p.
• Der Begriff der Materie und die gegenwortigen Kentnisse von ihrern Struktur. - B .: Gesellschaftswissenschaftliche Beitrage, 1964. - C. 525-537.
• Structure and Symmetry (Materials for the XIV International Philosophical Congress) // Philosophy and modern science. - M. , 1968. - S. 78-87.
• Structure and Symmetry (Materials for the XIV International Philosophical Congress) // Philosophy and modern science. - M. , 1968. - S. 78-87.
• Concerning unity of knowledge in Physics // Logic, Metodology and Phylosophy of Science. IV, North-Holland Publishing Company. 1973. - P. 583-592 (co-author I. A. Akchurin).
• The concept of natural realiti in dialectical materialismus // Main trends of reserarch in the social and human sciences. Vol. 2. Mounton Publisheral / Unesco. - The Hague - P. - N. Y. , 1978. - P. 1192-1199.
• A tudomanyos ismeretek fejlodesi sajatossagai es egysegeulesi tendenciaja // Tudomanyos megismer es torteneti es modszertani problemai. - Bdpst. : Gondolat, 1980. - P. 110-166.
• Stupne metodologicko badania // Metodologicke principy fysiky. - Bratislava: Pravda, 1984. - C. 5-27.
• Princip zachovanis // Metodologicke principy fysiky. - Bratislava: Pravda, 1984. - C. 235-278.
• Phenomenon of adversio in the history of knowledge // Epistemological Problems of Science (in the works of Russian philosophers). - M .: Inst. of Philosopy RAN, 1993. - P. 11-13.

Turning to the structure of science, we come to the conclusion that the theoretical field in science is polymorphic. Theoretical knowledge is more than just a given theoretical system or even a combination of theories ... Peering into modern scientific knowledge, we can rather see a vast field of theoretical, with its diverse areas. You can notice at least three such areas of theoretical knowledge in science - this is the field of hypotheses, the field of models and analogies, and, finally, the field of logically organized theories.

- N.F. Ovchinnikov

It was assumed ... that among the many theoretical systems, only one can claim the rank of scientificness, truth. The experience of modern science makes us revise this methodological setting. Many theories are normal in scientific development. The most important theoretical problem posed by the features of modern theoretical natural science is not the problem of choice, but the synthesis of theoretical systems, developed both within the framework of special science and in the field of methodology of scientific knowledge.

- N.F. Ovchinnikov

Until now, I don’t know a deeper philosophical text that would quickly introduce any beginner to the most acute and debatable problems of modern philosophical science (in its connection with modern natural science) than the monograph by N. F. Ovchinnikov “Principles of Conservation”. Many generations of our colleagues in this field of research have received their first creative impulses of deep inner interest in philosophical reflections from this book. And still it remains one of the best introductions to this circle of problems ...

- I. A. Akchurin

• Ovchinnikov N.F. Methodology of science: problems of theorization of knowledge. // Nature. 1978. No. 3. - S. 109-117.
• Philosophers of Russia XIX-XX centuries. - M .: “Book and business”, 1995. - C. 425-426.
• The philosophy of science in a historical context. Dedicated to the 85th birthday of N. F. Ovchinnikov. - SPb. : Publishing house of the RHHI ID S.-P. State University, 2003.
• In memory of Nikolai Fedorovich Ovchinnikov (1915-2010). // Questions of the history of natural science and technology, No. 1, 2011. - S. 200—201.
• Shuper V. A. Methodology of geography: the contribution of Russian philosophers of science. // Proceedings of the RAS. Geographical Series, 2011, No. 4. - P. 118-123.

• Website N.F. Ovchinnikov
• Ovchinnikov N.F. Searches for reliability .
• Η. Φ. Ovchinnikov . // New philosophical encyclopedia: In 4 vols. // Edited by V. S. Styopin. - M .: Thought, 2001.
• Science as a means of mutual understanding of peoples.
• Institute of the History of Natural Science and Technology. S. I. Vavilova. Annual Scientific Conference, 2006 ..
• PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE. Issue 7. Formation of the modern science paradigm