The Conceptual Confusion between Potentia and Possibility in Physics

by Maria Odete Madeira

Some errors of interpretation of philosophical concepts used in science lead to fundamental problems at the root of the theories, when these concepts play a foundational role in the edifice of that theory. An example of this is the statement, by Heisenberg, of an equivalence between dynamis (potentia) and possibility.

Heisenberg established, incorrectly, an equivalence between the Aristotelic notion of dynamis and possibility.

The dynamis and the possibility are two distinct notions, both logically as well as ontologically. All existing things, situations, events, beings or entities, are contingent things, and, because of that, are, as such, subjects of change, in this way, all physical existents are a composite of dynamis (potentia) and energeia (actus), the dynamis being as real as the energeia.

The dynamis that composes each physical existent is, logically and ontologically, a principle and, also, a temporal moment of determinable indetermination, its determination being done by the energeia that corresponds to it, logically and ontologically, as its principle of determination. Every situation, event, being, entity is constituted by these two principles: dynamis and energeia.

The possibility is an abstract term of any language, be that language logical, epistemological or ontological. The possibility designates the intelligible structure of the possible: possible is all that can be or not be, without logical contradiction.

Any physical existent has in itself, as such, its own possibility, as a neutral element that precedes and accompanies it along its existence. All that is, or exists, must be possible to be or exist, because it, effectively, is, or exists, and, equally, all that is not, or does not exist, must be possible not to be, or not to exist, because it, effectively, is not.

The category of possibility is, in the motion energeia/dynamis/energeia, logically and ontologically, a neutral element. One can talk about a determination of the dynamis by the energeia, and, thus, of an actualization, but one cannot talk about an actualization of the possibility, nor establish an equivalence between the notion of possibility with the notion of dynamis.