The battle of High Temperature Superconductivity

Abstract

The early development of conflicting theories about the microscopic mechanism of High Temperature Superconductivity is described. The biographical roots of this diversity are stressed, as well as its subjective/objective roots. This study of a specific case of knowledge about a specific fact of nature allows to discuss the subjective and objective roots of scientific pluralism. Relativism, the Duhem-Quine thesis on the underdetermination of theory by facts, are discussed from the stand point of the materialist view on the dialectics of knowledge and nature. Developments of dialectic materialism seem to be suggested by this study.