Intro to the Philosophy of Physics

Combines physics, philosophy, and history in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics.

Emphasizes the integral role that philosophical analysis plays in physics.

Informationen zum Autor Marc Lange is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. He is author of Natural Laws in Scientific Practice (2000). Klappentext This book combines physics, history, and philosophy in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics. Accessible to readers with little background in physics or philosophy, this book allows the reader to wrestle with the metaphysical and conceptual problems that drove innovation in physics, from nineteenth-century electromagnetic field theory through relativity and quantum mechanics. Among the topics treated are locality, causality, and scientific explanation; relativity, energy, mass, and the reality of fields; and quantum metaphysics. The book's engaging, non-technical style makes it ideal for those who want to go beyond the equations and discover what physics reveals about reality. Zusammenfassung * Combines physics! philosophy! and history in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics. * Emphasizes the integral role that philosophical analysis plays in physics. * Presents many concrete examples in which struggles with conceptual issues drove innovation in physics. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface. 1. What Is Spatiotemporal Locality?. The Big Picture. Causal Relations between Events. Action by Contact. Spatial! Temporal! and Spatiotemporal Locality Defined. Intrinsic Properties and Noncausal Connections. You Might Think about... 2. Fields to the Rescue?. The Electric Force. The Electric Field and its Possible Interpretations. Potentials. Lines of Force. You Might Think about... 3. Dispositions and Causes:. Introduction. Dispositions! Categorical Bases! and Subjunctive Conditionals. Are the Categorical Bases in Themselves Unknowable?. You Might Think about... 4. Locality and Scientific Explanation:. Is Action at a Distance Impossible?. Brute Facts and Ultimate Explanations. Which Facts are Brute?. You Might Think about... 5. Fields! Energy! and Momentum:. Introduction. The Argument from Conserved Quantities. Why Energya s Ontological Status Matters. Energy in Classical Physics. Energy in the Fields. Energy Flow and the Poynting Vector. A Moral Regarding the Testability of Theories. You Might Think about... 6. Is There Nothing But Fields?. Is Electric Charge Real?. Faradaya s Picture. You Might Think about... 7. Relativity and the Unification of Electricity and Magnetism:. Unification in Physics. How Relativity Unifies Electricity and Magnetism. Einsteina s Argument from Asymmetry. The Interdependence of Philosophy and Physics. You Might Think about... 8. Relativity! Energy! Mass! and the Reality of Fields:. Classical Physics and the "Relativity of Motion". Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Space and Time. Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Energy and Momentum. Mass and the Meaning of "E = mc2". Fields ---- at Last!. Erasing the Line between Scientific Theory and its Philosophical Interpretation. You Might Think about... 9. Quantum Metaphysics:. Is Quantum Mechanics Complete?. The Bell Inequalities. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Wrestling with Nonlocality. Entanglement! Reduction! and Intrinsic Properties. You Might Think about... Final Exam. References. Index. ...

Autorentext

Marc Lange is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. He is author of Natural Laws in Scientific Practice (2000).

Klappentext
This book combines physics, history, and philosophy in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics.
Accessible to readers with little background in physics or philosophy, this book allows the reader to wrestle with the metaphysical and conceptual problems that drove innovation in physics, from nineteenth-century electromagnetic field theory through relativity and quantum mechanics. Among the topics treated are locality, causality, and scientific explanation; relativity, energy, mass, and the reality of fields; and quantum metaphysics.
The book's engaging, non-technical style makes it ideal for those who want to go beyond the equations and discover what physics reveals about reality.

Inhalt
Preface.1. What Is Spatiotemporal Locality?The Big Picture.Causal Relations between Events.Action by Contact.Spatial, Temporal, and Spatiotemporal Locality Defined.Intrinsic Properties and Noncausal Connections.You Might Think about...2. Fields to the Rescue?The Electric Force.The Electric Field and its Possible Interpretations.Potentials.Lines of Force.You Might Think about...3. Dispositions and Causes:Introduction.Dispositions, Categorical Bases, and Subjunctive Conditionals.Are the Categorical Bases in Themselves Unknowable?You Might Think about...4. Locality and Scientific Explanation:Is Action at a Distance Impossible?Brute Facts and Ultimate Explanations.Which Facts are Brute?You Might Think about...5. Fields, Energy, and Momentum:Introduction.The Argument from Conserved Quantities.Why Energy's Ontological Status Matters.Energy in Classical Physics.Energy in the Fields.Energy Flow and the Poynting Vector.A Moral Regarding the Testability of Theories.You Might Think about...6. Is There Nothing But Fields?Is Electric Charge Real?Faraday's Picture.You Might Think about...7. Relativity and the Unification of Electricity and Magnetism:Unification in Physics.How Relativity Unifies Electricity and Magnetism.Einstein's Argument from Asymmetry.The Interdependence of Philosophy and Physics.You Might Think about...8. Relativity, Energy, Mass, and the Reality of Fields:Classical Physics and the "Relativity of Motion".Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Space and Time.Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves: Energy and Momentum.Mass and the Meaning of "E = mc2".Fields -- at Last!Erasing the Line between Scientific Theory and its Philosophical Interpretation.You Might Think about...9. Quantum Metaphysics:Is Quantum Mechanics Complete?The Bell Inequalities.For Whom the Bell Tolls.Wrestling with Nonlocality.Entanglement, Reduction, and Intrinsic Properties.You Might Think about...Final Exam.References.Index.

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