The Galilean Principle of Relativity: The Ultimate Fundament of Moral Inversion

In this paper, I will present Michael Polanyi’s concept of moral inversion, which is the political end-point of a widespread intellectual phenomenon in science that Polanyi called “spurious” forms of moral inversion. Then, I will argue that this phenomenon is already embedded in Galileo Galilei’s own practical (anti-metaphysical, proto-positivist) interpretation of his own principle of relativity, which is one of the core fundaments of our scientific worldview today. Finally, I will show that Polanyi’s critique of Galilean thinking and its neglect, moreover, denial of morality—in that it sharply separates science from morality— also has deeper roots. Polanyi’s critique is based on Samuel Alexander’s concept of emergence. Alexander’s concept is a broader philosophical understanding of the Galilean principle which solves the problem of moral inversion created by Galilei’s own narrow and practical interpretation of the principle. It does this by showing that relative centres are real and moral ascent is possible.