Marc Lange

Intro to the Philosophy of Physics

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

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.

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This book combines physics, philosophy, and history in a radical new approach to introducing the philosophy of physics. It leads the reader through several central problems in the philosophy of physics by tracing their connections to a single issue: whether a cause must be spatiotemporally local to its effect, or whether action at a distance can occur

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Hinweis: Dieser Artikel kann nur an eine deutsche Lieferadresse ausgeliefert werden.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Blackwell Publishers
• 3rd ed.
• Seitenzahl: 352
• Erscheinungstermin: 19. Juli 2002
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 229mm x 152mm x 19mm
• Gewicht: 485g
• ISBN-13: 9780631225010
• ISBN-10: 0631225013
• Artikelnr.: 13624822

Autorenporträt

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

Inhaltsangabe

Preface vi
1 What is Spatiotemporal Locality? 1
1 The Big Picture 1
2 Causal Relations between Events 3
3 Action by Contact 7
4 Spatial, Temporal, and Spatiotemporal Locality Defined 13
5 Intrinsic Properties and Noncausal Connections 17
Discussion Questions 23
Notes 24
2 Fields to the Rescue? 26
1 The Electric Force 26
2 The Electric Field and its Possible Interpretations 32
3 Potentials 42
4 Lines of Force 47
Discussion Questions 61
Notes 65
3 Dispositions and Causes 67
1 Introduction 67
2 Dispositions, Categorical Bases, and Subjunctive Conditionals 71
3 Are the Categorical Bases in Themselves Unknowable? 79
Discussion Questions 90
Notes 92
4 Locality and Scientific Explanation 94
1 Is Action at a Distance Impossible? 94
2 Brute Facts and Ultimate Explanations 95
3 Which Facts are Brute? 100
Discussion Questions 107
Notes 110
5 Fields, Energy, and Momentum 111
1 Introduction 111
2 The Argument from Conserved Quantities 112
3 Why Energy's Ontological Status Matters 120
4 Energy in Classical Physics 125
5 Energy in the Fields 131
6 Energy Flow and the Poynting Vector 136
7 A Moral Regarding the Testability of Theories 153
Discussion Questions 157
Notes 162
6 Is there Nothing but Fields? 165
1 Is Electric Charge Real? 165
2 Faraday's Picture 167
Discussion Questions 171
Notes 173
7 Relativity and the Unification of Electricity and Magnetism 175
1 Unification in Physics 175
2 How Relativity Unifies Electricity and Magnetism 180
3 Einstein's Argument from Asymmetry 186
4 The Interdependence of Philosophy and Physics 199
Discussion Questions 201
Notes 203
8 Relativity, Energy, Mass, and the Reality of Fields 205
1 Classical Physics and the "Relativity of Motion" 206
2 Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves:
Space and Time 210
3 Relativistic Invariants and the Unification that Relativity Achieves:
Energy and Momentum 221
4 Mass and the Meaning of "e = mc2 " 224
5 Fields - At Last! 240
6 Erasing the Line between Scientific Theory and its Philosophical
Interpretation 249
Discussion Questions 250
Notes 252
9 Quantum Metaphysics 255
1 Is Quantum Mechanics Complete? 255
2 The Bell Inequalities 263
3 For Whom the Bell Tolls 271
4 Wrestling with Nonlocality 280
Discussion Questions 298
Notes 300
Final Exam 302
References 305
Index 316

Rezensionen

"Marc Lange uses the philosophical tools of traditional metaphysicsto analyze examples drawn from electromagnetic theory and quantummechanics and in turn uses these examples to refine some of thebasic concepts of traditional metaphysics. The result is anexcellent introduction to the best sort of metaphysics, the sortthat is informed by our best physical theories." JeffreyBarrett, University of California, Irvine

"This is philosophy of physics that meets even Feynman'schallenge of making a difference for physics while it attainsHempel's standards of clarity. I can hardly imagine teaching thephilosophy of physics, at any level, from introductory to graduateseminar, without using this book!" Alex Rosenberg, DukeUniversity

"Eschewing the technical jargon of philosophy of science, thoughhe is a fluent contributor to journals and refers to current issuesin appropriate notes, Lange employs a breezy, common languagestyle, complete with discussion questions suitable for anundergraduate introductory class. [...] Highly recommended tophilosphically inexperienced physicists as well as current studentsin philosophy of science. Lower-division undergraduates throughfaculty." P.D. Skiff, Bard College, Choice, January2003

"An accomplished philosopher of science, Lange introduces theepistemological consequences of a central idea in physics -locality ... Eschewing the technical jargon of philosophy ofscience, though he is a fluent contributor to journals and feres tocurrent issues in appropriate notes, Lange employs a breezy, commomlanguage style, complete with discussion questions suitable for anundergraduate introductory class ... his introduction to the issuesvia concrete example is very effective and unique. Highlyrecommended to philosophically inexperienced physicists as well ascurrent students in philosophy of science." Choice