La recherche du « bon » principe d’économie en physique
Abstract
The search for the “right” principle of economy is a central epistemological question. In fact, the debate over the path taken by refracted light (is it the shortest or the quickest?) epitomizes the controversy over the role of metaphysics in physics. When engaging in discussions regarding the principle of economy used in nature, scholars of the classical age pursued a double objective: they sought to unify optics and mechanics and they attempted to understand the relations between metaphysics and the principles of physics in the construction of the mathematical physics. It is in this context that D’Alembert decided to reject the a posteriori method based on final causes, which he believed should not be used in physics.
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