Might perhaps energy be a merely statistical concept?

Abstract

Arguments are given in favour of the opinion that the quantum-mechanical frequency, multiplied by Planck’s constant, has for microscopic systemsnot the meaning of energy. It is suggested, that the concept of energy and its conservation, just like that of entropy and its increase, has merely a statistical meaning, the energy of a macroscopic system being the product of Planck’s constant and a weighted average of the frequencies in question. The wide-spread attitude that the claim for an objective description of physical reality must be given up, is rejected on the ground that the so-called external world is built up exclusively of elements of the single minds, and is characterized as what is common to all, recognized by every healthy and sane person. Hence the demand for a non-subjective description is inevitable, of course without prejudice whether it be deterministic or otherwise.